Craig spent 20 years in the military. Then years as a VP of procurement and logistics. Then he moved to the Philippines and built a life that costs a quarter of what it did back home — country club memberships, a private driver, a personal assistant, and a condo he owns outright for $474 per month.

He has no plans to leave. Ever.

Part of the reason is the visa sitting in his wallet.

Most Americans arrive on a tourist visa and figure they will deal with the long-term situation later. Later becomes a scramble — extension queues at the Bureau of Immigration every two months, conflicting information online, and constant low-grade anxiety about their legal standing.

The smarter move is the SRRV. The Special Resident Retiree's Visa. The only retirement visa in Southeast Asia that gives you permanent residency. Not 10 years like Malaysia. Not 20 years like Thailand. Permanent.

Multiple entry and exit. A local bank account. Senior citizen discounts at 60. The ability to convert your deposit into a condo purchase from day one.

For most applicants the deposit is $10,000 with a pension or $20,000 without.

For military veterans it is $1,500.

Read that again.

The Philippines and the United States have deep military ties going back over a century. Fort Bonifacio — the land BGC now sits on — was originally a US military base. The Philippines honors that history through the SRRV Expanded Courtesy — a specific visa category designed for people who have served in the military.

If you have your DD214 and a military pension you qualify. The deposit is $3,000 if you are between 40 and 50. If you are over 50 with a pension it drops to $1,500.

That deposit is also fully refundable after five years. Or convertible into a condo purchase from day one.

Craig paid $20,000 for his because he had not yet started drawing his military pension at the time of application. He now knows if he had drawn his pension first he would have paid $1,500.

He called it very enticing. That might be the understatement of the year.

The SRRV takes 3 to 4 months start to finish. You need a police clearance from the US, your DD214, proof of pension, and apostilled documentation. A medical clearance is required once you are in the Philippines.

The most common mistake expats make is getting the medical done in the US before arriving. Craig did this and it cost him two extra months. The medical can be done right here in the Philippines — faster and cheaper.

The other mistake is navigating the Bureau of Immigration alone. The paperwork is extensive, appointments need to be booked, and your tourist visa needs extending while the SRRV processes. Every expat who uses an immigration agency moves through this in a fraction of the time with a fraction of the stress.

The military pension that barely covered expenses in the States suddenly goes four times further here. No car. No insurance. No mortgage. Healthcare at a fraction of US costs.

The SRRV locks it in permanently.

Craig travels freely. Visits his daughter in the States for a few weeks at a time. Comes back to his base in the Philippines. He has a cigar lounge with a private locker, country club memberships, and staff who handle everything he does not want to handle himself.

When I asked him if getting the retirement visa was worth it his answer was immediate.

You need to ask that?

Click here to start your move to the Philippines the right way

Travel Well,

Evan Lorezca

The Savvy Expat