tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44073316752460926682023-11-16T21:35:39.983+11:00Moving from the Philippines to Australia: Immigration, Visas and PassportsAs the title suggests, the focus here is on relocating from the Philippines to Australia. I’ll be detailing my personal experience of dealing with the various government systems both in the Philippines and in Australia. There’ll be a touch of romance, tribulation but mostly just a factual account of what happens throughout the process.
Hopefully the information here will be of some help to those considering a move like this.Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10730205573906152064noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4407331675246092668.post-38310708664189144122011-05-22T11:36:00.001+10:002011-05-22T11:37:02.746+10:00Tagalog to English: Lost in translation<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cross cultural and cross linguistic communication, as my Fiancée and I are both from very different cultural backgrounds and have different “first languages” then these are an ongoing and likely permanent aspect of our relationship. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There has been quite a steep learning curve and a few missteps in our interactions due to these differences. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What one of us might see as commonplace the other sees as strange, an innocuous word or phrase for one can cause confusion or even upset for the other.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My fiancée has pretty good level of English, I on the other hand have an abysmal grasp on Tagalog and absolutely no idea when it comes to Visayan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This meant that initially we relied heavily (read as exclusively) on her English . </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">No doubt some things did and still do get lost in translation, but with a genuine desire to know each other our ability to communicate effectively grown. Equally important is our ability to know when we are not communicating or are miscommunicating (sic?). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But rather than being detrimental to our relationship, as we’ve grown to be more conscious of the situation it’s lead to us making sure that we are each really listening to what the other is saying and that we are ourselves being understood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ve been in plenty of conversations (and relationships) where each party was already thinking about the next thing they were going to say before the other person had finished speaking. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In this relationship we can both be certain that when we speak the other person is listening intently. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As a bonus it’s also the source of some fun and laughter ….especially when I start busting out my mangled Tagalog phrases….</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So my advice (as if you need it); </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Really listen and don’t be afraid to say if you don’t understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Be conscious of your choice of words, meaning is easily lost in translation. </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Try to pick up some of the basics of your partners primary language as well as understanding social mores. </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Learn to enjoy the differences, they’re here to stay</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And for a laugh try using Google Translate….the results can be hilarious </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next…General randomness</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you like this post, give it a stumble using the link below </span></div><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tagalog-Foreigners-Non-Tagalogs-Language-Library/dp/0804838372?ie=UTF8&tag=movifromtheph-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Basic Tagalog for Foreigners and Non-Tagalogs (Tuttle Language Library)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=movifromtheph-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0804838372" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" />Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10730205573906152064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4407331675246092668.post-37392388118928429202011-05-19T22:15:00.002+10:002011-05-20T12:30:53.556+10:00Philippines Birth Certificates: Paperwork and a Pair of Very Small Feet<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A letter arrived for me today, it contained some forms and a certificate. I’ve mentioned before how much more satisfying it is to receive actual mail rather than email, something to do with the physicality of it I suppose. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Well, this piece of mail was especially exciting. It contained the paperwork for our sons’ NSO birth certificate, several copies all requiring my signature….I’ll be posting it back to the my partner in the Philippines tomorrow. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But there was an extra special surprise attached, a hospital issued document recording some of the physical details of my son’s birth. Weight, length…that sort of thing….and right in the middle of the page there are a set of very small footprints.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTKIVgMJkkZ8WENR2ujawrru4ptSXAI7aCkMkPyx1k2xMpgDgJDQylWvT8vSol-cNwj3GCkBKWQiZ24k0j-4HsUExv1RY90BkeWz4bNCzvHT_yuoSOd6eJNIHgbOAFMkAoaCFNx9sLaVs/s1600/feet+edit.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTKIVgMJkkZ8WENR2ujawrru4ptSXAI7aCkMkPyx1k2xMpgDgJDQylWvT8vSol-cNwj3GCkBKWQiZ24k0j-4HsUExv1RY90BkeWz4bNCzvHT_yuoSOd6eJNIHgbOAFMkAoaCFNx9sLaVs/s320/feet+edit.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Smack dab in the middle of the page, one labelled “Left” the other “Right”…(funny about that). Each a perfect impression with five perfect little toes.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s difficult to describe exactly how I feel looking at this document. It has no weight or value as actual ID, but it is perhaps the most important of all. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other bits of paper will move our visa application forward but this one particular document has actual physical proof that this tiny little person exists. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s very much a case of mixed emotions…naturally I’m happy, but a little sad to…the certificate has the names of the doctors<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that delivered him…all of who have had the chance to actually see him in person and hold him….something I’ve not yet had opportunity to do….</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ah well…just over a week to go till my Fiancée collects her passport and we begin the visa application process…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next…Thoughts on cross cultural/lingual communication</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you liked this post click the stumble link below to share it with the world </span></div></div><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&tag=movifromtheph-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&search-alias=aps&field-keywords=baby keepsakes" target="_blank">Search Amazon.com for baby keepsakes</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=movifromtheph-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<br />
PGR8R3KWV8EKMarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10730205573906152064noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4407331675246092668.post-77174773736103280582011-05-18T18:27:00.001+10:002011-05-18T23:39:01.299+10:00Giving birth in the Philippines: Finding a Hospital in San Pedro Laguna<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As you may remember from an earlier post my Fiancée’s pregnancy was a possible impediment to the granting of a visa and in addition we had some delays in getting a passport application accepted. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The upshot being that it was looking more and more likely that “we” would be having a baby in the Philippines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if the visa were granted prior to the birth….as each day passed we drew closer to the point where flying would no longer be a possibility and if the visa were granted <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>once my Fiancée was no longer able to travel and then subsequently gave birth the baby would not be included on the visa. According to the DIAC (immigration department) this would mean a whole new visa application for the baby….</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, we needed to find a good (read as well staffed, well equipped, safe, full service hospital) near my fiancée’s family home in San Pedro.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It proved to be a little tougher than I expected….</span><br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">While there are lots of good (some very good) hospitals in Metro Manila the standard seems to slip a little (or a lot) once you get out to Laguna. My first choice “Asian Hospital”, was rejected by my partner because she felt that “only rich people go there” and she would be “too shy” to go there.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We searched the web for an alternative and while we were able to find lists of hospitals there was precious little additional information available. Very few (read as almost none) of the hospitals had websites and not too many people had posted their experiences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Basically there was no way to establish a “short list” of potential medical facilities.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the end “we” (meaning my partner, as I was now back in Australia) simply visited each of the hospitals listed until we found one that ticked all the boxes. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our choice? Divine Mercy Hospital… The staff were friendly and proficient, private rooms were comfortable and reasonably priced, the standard of care was good and my Fiancée felt comfortable there. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Having made the selection it was now just a case of waiting for the big day….my partner attended regular scheduled check-ups with her new OB/GYN to monitor her health and that of our unborn child and everything progressed as expected. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There were a few scares along the way….there was some suspicion that my partner had developed gestational diabetes but all the test came back in the green, so no problem there. However as the due date approached our OB/GYN became concerned about the size of the baby…it was looking a little on the large size. The key concern was my partner’s ability to successfully deliver by natural child birth a “big” baby.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The birth actually came as a bit of a surprise. The night before my Fiancée was due to go in for a final ultrasound her “waters” broke and she was raced of to hospital by ambulance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She sent me a text to let me know, but thanks to some slow message delivery the text actually arrived after I’d already spoken with her (having called to say “hi”).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the end after many hours of labour the delivery ended up being performed as C-section. Everything went well and there were no complications…we now had a beautiful baby boy!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The only downside was that all I could do was peer at him on Skype…from 6000 kilometres away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, if you’re having a baby in San Pedro Laguna my recommendation is as above, Divine Mercy. Your experience may differ but ours was positive. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What’s your experience of childbirth in the RP? Feel free to leave a comment down below….</span></div><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&tag=movifromtheph-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&search-alias=aps&field-keywords=child birth" target="_blank">Search Amazon.com for child birth</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=movifromtheph-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" />Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10730205573906152064noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4407331675246092668.post-61456248400191196442011-05-17T23:18:00.001+10:002011-05-18T23:40:40.194+10:00Keeping in touch with loved ones in the Philippines: Skype, Netbooks, Mobile Phones and Snail Mail<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Coming back to Australia and leaving my pregnant Fiancée on her own was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do, though no doubt the time apart has been harder on my partner than on me (as I’ve not been growing another human being inside of me).</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">While I’d spend as much time in the Philippines as possible, work and family commitments back in Australia meant that I was going to have to return home. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Prior to my last trip over I’d known that it was likely that I’d be returning to Australia before my Fiancée’s visa was approved, but now it also looked like she’d be having the baby in Manila without me there…it was agonising. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Previously we’d been keeping in touch with mobile phones and occasionally email. While this worked well (relatively) the cost of calling to the Philippines each day for any meaningful length of time was starting to mount up…even using an economical carrier like “Crazy John’s” (17 cents a minute). And to be honest there’s no substitute for being able to see someone while talking with them. </span><br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, I bought an inexpensive Netbook in Australia and took it over with me to give to my Fiancée…that meant she’d be able to use skype and email from home rather than having to head down to the local internet café…a trip that I knew would become more difficult as her pregnancy progressed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Once on the ground in Manila I also picked up a prepaid Globe tattoo to use with the netbook. My partner now had a computer with wireless internet connection on which I’d already installed Skype. The last thing to do was replace her phone with a dual SIM unit so that she could run both Globe and SMART connections to mitigate cell coverage issues.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The time in Manila (though extensive) flew past, and there was always the constant shadow of my planned return to Australia hanging over us. Eventually the day came and with tears all round we headed off to the airport and I flew back home. Almost as soon as I landed we started using our new Skype connection…..it was (and is) awesome. Being able to see each other while talking adds a huge amount of depth to our conversations and the fact that it’s “free” means we’re able to spend significantly longer talking…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We still use cell phones to keep in touch through the day (mostly just texts now) and email is invaluable for sending links related to visa applications etc…but as the our visa application date approaches we’re making more and more use of good old snail mail to send physical documents back and forth. I’d actually forgotten the excitement as you rush to the letter box to see if any mail has been delivered….it’s much more satisfying than clicking “send/receive” . </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So to make sense of this ramble….in my experience (your’s may vary) I’ve found that cell phones are great for a few quick words or to exchange texts, but skype (or similar) is far superior for a meaningful exchange. It works surprising well, even on the Globe wireless connection.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Email is great for sending lots of detail, links etc for reference/review and good old snail mail remains the one and only way to get original documents (with signatures etc) from one place to another. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anyway…I have to go. It’s about 11pm here….which means it’s 9pm in Manila…time to talk with my Fiancée and see my new born son.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, having a baby in the Philippines.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&tag=movifromtheph-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&search-alias=aps&field-keywords=Skype" target="_blank">Search Amazon.com for Skype</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=movifromtheph-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Headset-Premium-Laser-Tuned-981-000195/dp/B003NREDG4?ie=UTF8&tag=movifromtheph-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Logitech USB Headset H530 with Premium Laser-Tuned Audio (981-000195)</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-NB505-N508BL-10-1-Inch-Netbook-Blue/dp/B004G8QZPG?ie=UTF8&tag=movifromtheph-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Toshiba NB505-N508BL 10.1-Inch Netbook (Blue)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=movifromtheph-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004G8QZPG" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=movifromtheph-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003NREDG4" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" />Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10730205573906152064noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4407331675246092668.post-2350390690493327832011-05-17T00:23:00.001+10:002011-05-18T23:41:19.373+10:00How to get your BIR ID: Solving Philippines passport ID issues.<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As outlined in the previous post my Fiancée had some difficulties in meeting the ID requirements for her Philippines passport application. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The key issue was that she had no digitized government ID and she either wasn’t eligible for or it would simply take too long to get them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We weren’t sure what to do until we stumbled across some information on the Bureau of Inland Revenue (BIR) website. </span><br />
<a name='more'></a>It seems that some time ago some legislation was passed enabling anyone who needed to transact with the Philippines DFA (or other government departments) to obtain a Tax Identification Number (TIN).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">From the BIR website (link provided in the side bar):</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">“<a href="http://www.blogger.com/" name="13745"></a><strong><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span class="title1"><span style="font-size: 8.5pt;">PERSONS REGISTERING UNDER E.O. 98 (securing a TIN to be able to transact with any government office, e.g. LTO, NBI, DFA, etc.)</span></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt;"></span></span></span></strong></div><span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Tax Form</span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt;">BIR Form 1904 - Application for Registration of One Time Taxpayer And Persons Registering Under EO 98 (securing a TIN to be able to transact with any government office)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt;">Documentary Requirements<br />
-Birth certificate or any valid identification showing name, address and birth date of the applicant</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt;"><br />
Procedures<br />
- Accomplish BIR Form 1904 and submit the same, together with the required attachments, to the Revenue District Office having jurisdiction over residence of the applicant.”</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Once you have your TIN, it’s a relatively simple matter to then get your BIR ID. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">To get your TIN: </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Attend your local BIR office with your birth certificate.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Complete and submit form 1904</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Receive your TIN</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">To get your BIR ID</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Once in possession of your TIN make a booking for your ID application </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Addend you local BIR office<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>at the appointed time</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Complete relevant paperwork and undergo “biometrics” capture (fingerprints etc) All done…you now have a BIR ID</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Processing time on the card may vary, so while you may be able to collect you card on the day, you may also have to re-attend to collect once ready. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s also worth noting that the BIR agents (like those at the DFA) don’t always seem to be too familiar with their own regulations. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The first time my Fiancée attempted get her ID she was told “No they are only for tax payers”…..and….”You need your passport as ID first to get your BIR ID” </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Both of these statements were incorrect. The only ID you need to get you TIN (then BIR ID) is your birth certificate, and under E.O. 98 any citizen can get a TIN (and BIR ID) in order to transact with another government department.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When my Fiancée promptly returned with a copy of the E.O. 98 guidelines from the BIR’s own website the same agent was happy to assist her. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So ID problems resolved!</span></div><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lonely-Planet-Philippines-Country-Travel/dp/1741047218?ie=UTF8&tag=movifromtheph-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Lonely Planet Philippines (Country Travel Guide)</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tagalog-Foreigners-Non-Tagalogs-Language-Library/dp/0804838372?ie=UTF8&tag=movifromtheph-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Basic Tagalog for Foreigners and Non-Tagalogs (Tuttle Language Library)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=movifromtheph-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0804838372" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=movifromtheph-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1741047218" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" />Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10730205573906152064noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4407331675246092668.post-19216354923237612382011-05-16T12:07:00.005+10:002011-05-18T23:41:48.043+10:00Getting your Philippines Passport: Top 5 tips for dealing with the DFA<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So with a doctor organised and everything good on the health front it was time to sort out a passport for my Fiancée. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We had booked an appointment via the DFA’s phone service, and had confirmed that my Fiancée’s current ID would be acceptable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">To our horror, when the appointment finally rolled around, her application was rejected! She apparently didn’t have the right ID at all. She was advised that she needed an SS ID (social security ID with biometrics).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After working out what an SS ID is we dutifully attended the closest SSS office and attempted to apply for an ID only to be told “sorry you have to work for an employer who makes SSS contributions….you can’t have an ID”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We were at a loss. The DFA had advised my fiancé that she specifically needed an SS ID, the SSS advised that she wasn’t eligible for the ID. Net result, no passport! </span><br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After many calls to the DFA we finally reached an operator who after initially insisting that SS ID was the only acceptable ID admitted that in event that an applicant isn’t eligible for an SS ID or other digitized government ID that a “Form 137” (school transcript) would suffice. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Awesome! We quickly made contact with the relevant parties to obtain a 137 transcript. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">At the same time I discovered that anyone who needs to transact with the DFA (or other government departments) is eligible to obtain an BIR ID (digitized ID from the tax department).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A fact no one at the DFA seemed to be aware of.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So now armed with a birth certificate, baptismal document, 137 transcript, postal ID and a BIR ID card we re booked the passport appointment (again the time we got was months away!).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On attending the new appointment the first agent my Fiancée spoke with again refused to accept her application. The reason this time? Her ID was too “new”…what that means is anybodies guess, but my fiancé wasn’t going to accept that answer. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She politely requested to speak with a supervisor who after a quick glance at the ID on offer said “What the problem? This ID is fine!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, the application was accepted, fees paid…15 days to wait. Will actually collecting the passport be an easier…we’ll see I guess.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anyway this brings me to my top 5 tips for getting your passport in the Philippines.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Make sure you have some form of Digitized government ID (Drivers Licence, SS ID, BIR ID , PRC ID, Voters Card or Senior Citizens ID).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The BIR ID is available to anyone who needs to transact with the DFA.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Book your appointment as soon as you can. Waiting times can be appalling; if you call today you may not get an appointment for 2 to 3 months.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Don’t rely on the advice given by the DFA operative. In my experience many of them seem to know less then the applicants.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Know the rules around the application process. Print them out and take a copy with you. </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t be afraid to complain if you’re getting poor service. The DFA is supposed to be there to assist you in getting your passport, not to make it as difficult as possible.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, how to get your BIR ID</span></div><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Culture-Shock-Philippines-Survival-Etiquette/dp/0761456716?ie=UTF8&tag=movifromtheph-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Culture Shock! Philippines: A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=movifromtheph-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0761456716" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fiance-Marriage-Visas-Couples-Immigration/dp/1413312543?ie=UTF8&tag=movifromtheph-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Fiance & Marriage Visas: A Couple's Guide to U.S. Immigration</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=movifromtheph-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1413312543" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" />Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10730205573906152064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4407331675246092668.post-85091581010783701942011-05-16T01:07:00.004+10:002011-05-18T23:42:23.857+10:00Finding an Obstetrician in Manila: Is there a doctor in the house?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So we now know there’s going to be a bit of a delay before we can get my girlfriend’s passport, let alone apply for the visa. That means we need an Obstetrician. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But where to start, my girlfriend isn’t sure…and given that I’m from out of town (about 6000 kms out) I’ve got no idea. One of the things that I’ll find most frustrating through this whole experience is simply not knowing who to call or talk to. Back home in Australia, I’d have no problems…but in Manila I’m at a loss.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A quick check on the internet leaves us none the wiser….I find listings for hospitals but that’s about it. Eventually after chatting to a couple of local contacts we decide on Makati Medical…everyone says it's a bit pricey but a fairly good standard. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This turns out to be a good move…a relatively new hospital, with good facilities and competent staff. We were able to get everything we needed (blood tests, ultrasound etc.) all at the one location. They are a little pricey compared to your average Manila clinic, but it’s all relative….a consultation costs about 700 pesos, which equates to about 17 Australian dollars (try getting a OB consult for that back in Oz!!) </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">All up for our first round of consultation and tests we spent about $140 dollars….literally cheap at twice the price. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We knew that we’d need to find another doctor closer to my girlfriend’s (now fiancée’s) house if she ended having to give birth in the Philippines though, as Makati Med was just too far away…but that would be a problem for another day. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Perhaps you’re wondering about the results of the test…all good!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My recommendations for full service medical centres in Metro Manila:</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Makati Medical</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Saint Lukes</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next…Getting the Passport.</span></div><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pregnancy-Book-Month-Month-Everything/dp/0316779148?ie=UTF8&tag=movifromtheph-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Pregnancy Book: Month-by-Month, Everything You Need to Know From America's Baby Experts</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=movifromtheph-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0316779148" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eating-Pregnancy-Essential-Mothers-Be/dp/0738213527?ie=UTF8&tag=movifromtheph-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Eating for Pregnancy: The Essential Nutrition Guide and Cookbook for Today's Mothers-to-Be</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=movifromtheph-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0738213527" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" />Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10730205573906152064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4407331675246092668.post-28726648638082291622011-05-15T23:34:00.005+10:002011-05-18T23:43:07.039+10:00Immigrating to Australia: How hard could it possibly be?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ok, so having made the decision that we’re going to get married and live in Australia we need to organise my (now pregnant) girlfriend’s paperwork and visa. A pretty straight forward proposition you’d think…how hard can it be? (famous last words)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A quick check on the internet outlined basically what we’d need to do…</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Get a passport</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Get a prospective marriage visa</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Book a flight</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Enjoy a happy life</span><br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Easy! Until that is you start to break the first two items down…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Getting a passport in the Philippines isn’t quite as straightforward as it first seems..or more accurately meeting the requirements for getting a passport isn’t as easy as you’d expect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The documentary requirements are confusing and depending on whom you talk to inconsistently interpreted. Add to that the appointment system, which at times will offer you a time slot 2 or 3 months away and almost perpetually busy enquiry line that cuts you off every few minutes <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and you’ve got a recipe for confusion and delay.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As for the visa, while the documentary requirements are much more clearly outlined and you can actually get someone to talk to on the phone it seems that immigration and pregnancy are not compatible, at least if you’re in the Philippines. One of the key requirements for a Filipino (or Filipina) applicant is a Medical and Chest X-ray. The x-ray enables a check for TB, which is fairly common in South East Asia it seems. Unfortunately neither the Dept of Immigration nor the Philippines panel doctors (certified to perform a visa medical) are too keen on x-raying you if you’re pregnant (fair enough I guess, better safe than sorry).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyway first things first, we need a passport …so we do our best to check we have the right ID’s, call the booking line…talk to the operator<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and make a booking….the appointment time…two months away, but at least the operator confirmed we have the right ID…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In an upcoming post I’ll detail how the appointment went..but next finding and OB/GYN given we’ve got at least a few months to go we need a baby doctor (that’s a doctor who deals with babies, not a baby that is a doctor).</span></div><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Living-Working-Australia-Survival-Handbook/dp/1907339256?ie=UTF8&tag=movifromtheph-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Living and Working in Australia: A Survival Handbook (Living & Working in Australia)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=movifromtheph-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1907339256" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" />Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10730205573906152064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4407331675246092668.post-3841928545557275282011-05-15T22:17:00.001+10:002011-05-18T23:43:52.509+10:00Romance and Relocation: Making the decision to move to Australia<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So a bit of background first, just to put things in context. I’m a regular sort of guy living in Australia who had the opportunity to travel to the Philippines for business. While there I met a fantastic girl or for those of you who find the term “girl” condescending, a fantastic woman. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We became friends and though natural, if somewhat rapid, evolution started a relationship of the romantic variety. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A classic tale no doubt…</span><br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As our relationship progressed and we grew to know and care more and more about each other, we both wondered what the future might hold for us given that I was based in Australia and would at some point have to return there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We wanted to stay together and both of us were thinking about how a long term relationship would work (or not work) if separated by over 6000 kilometres. So we started talking about organising a trip to Australia so that my girlfriend could get a feel for life in the “lucky country” (does anyone still call it that…?). We would take a slow and steady pace and see how things developed…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But then fate, or more accurately a momentary lapse in collective judgement, stepped in. My girlfriend was pregnant….so much for slow and steady.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My initial reaction was one of surprise tinged with a moment of mild panic…my girlfriend on the other hand was horrified, she was certain that I’d shortly be stepping out for a packet of cigarettes…never to return. She’d seen this situation a number of times with friends who’d had “foreign” partners who were all love and sunshine and then when the need for actual commitment arose they just disappeared. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fortunately I was able to assure her that I wasn’t going anywhere and that we’d work things out together. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hmmm….what to do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well for me it was obvious…I loved her so I asked if she would marry me and move to Australia and I guess given the title of this post her response isn’t a surprise…she said yes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So there it is….”we” are pregnant and need to sort out immigration to Australia. Through this blog I’ll detail out our progress both success and failure… In upcoming posts I’ll cover finding an OB/GYN in manila, getting a Philippines passport and ID, birth certificates etc, applying for visas and making the actual move.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hopefully the information will be of some use to anyone in a similar situation and if nothing else will help me to examine my thoughts as things move along. </span></div>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10730205573906152064noreply@blogger.com0