Tag: Travel

Visa Extension

Posted on by KennyG
ACR-I Card
ACR-I Card

I have to say I am so pleasantly surprised how easy it was to do a visa extension here in The Philippines.  We decided on Monday I best look into doing the Visa Extension as my first 59 days will be up on the 20th of Jan.  So, off to the BI office here in Bacolod to ask some questions.

When we first arrived there at about 11:30 am, we quickly discovered though there is a small number of Expats here in the Bacolod, the office is equally as small and we were going to be awhile.  We spoke to a very helpful BI official who gave me the appropriate forms to complete and off we went back on our days journey.  Deciding since the office opens at 7:00 am, the plan will be to be there at that time.  Well, we ended up being an hour late, and I think I was number 7 out of what I think is a possible 15 numbers.  The BI official, called my number, looked at my form, and headed back and told me to see the teller.  Which I went to directly and she informed me of the initial visa extension the cost would PhP7537.00, and I paid that.  About 15 minutes later she hand me my change and my stamped passport with the visa extension.

Canadian Passport
Canadian Passport

From there, I had to meet with the BI Official who was doing the Alien Registration Program so I could apply for my ACR-I card which from what I understand is good for one year and I will need to renew it.  I am able to do visa extension this way for 36 months with all subsequent visa extensions will cost me PhP2800.00 wow crazy easy! I can only imagine the BS one needs to go through in Canada.  Plus the extension would most likely be denied, or take you 6 months to a year for it to be processed because all of the red tape and post 911 BS we put into something that should be so simple.

My ACR-I card will be ready in a month and there for me to pick up when I pass by.  Pretty cool if you ask me.  If you have any questions about visa extensions here in Bacolod let me know.

 

ICBC

Posted on by KennyG
ICBC
ICBC

As I was preparing to leave for The Philippines I stopped by to ICBC in Burnaby BC, in order to get my drivers licence renewed as it was going to expire in 8 months.  I asked if I could renewl the licence and the woman I was dealing with, and I so wish I got her name now, explained to me, due to the fact I was leaving the country, and they would not renew the licence.  I asked why, and her explanation to me was they were trying to crack down on people using multiple names from getting into the system, and that this was fraud.  That is nice, what does that have to do with me?  She further explained to me that is was ICBC policy and there was nothing she would do.  I tried explaining that this was crazy.  This is Canada, and we are innocent until proven guilty, how can you restrict or punish me without me being proved of wrong doing.  She shrugged and said this was the policy.  I further explained that me being out of the country, I need the picture ID for a back up in the unlikely event my passport was stolen, and I needed to prove myself at one of our Embasyees.  She was not concerned.

So naturally, I wrote to ICBC to ask for an explanation, and much to my disbelief, the response was simply to contact ICBC during normal working hours, and they will help me get a licence.  I was amazed since I said I was writing from The Philippines, and there was no way I would be able to get it renewed, and I was sparing myself someone telling me to come in to and ICBC office in order to get assitance.

When did Canada become a nation that punished their people before them being proven gulity of something.  Come on ICBC, I am looking forward to the response from my latest email.