Filipino medical staff leaving due to UK cock-up

This is exactly the same for UK citizens in the EU. You are treated like a local so if the locals pay or contribute, so do you. Same goes for child benefit.

Re-reading my reply, I can see why you thought that. Ooops, sorry! Filipino spouses are unlikely to be involved in an SRRV application since a 13(a) is both cheaper and less restrictive, of course.

When I mentioned Filipino spouses earlier, I was actually thinking about Quota Visas since this is the only type of Visa that does not depend on the whims and fancies of a spouse or an employer or, indeed, require a substantial bank deposit for which one must pay an annual "inspection fee" which often exceeds the interest credited. Once granted, it is really rather difficult to have such a (Quota) Visa rescinded.

You mentioned that you consider obtaining Extensions and the three-yearly "Visa Run" to be "onerous". Well they needn't be: you could employ an agent to obtain your Extensions at six month intervals - something many of the lazier ex-pats do (btw: I am certainly not suggesting you're lazy!). And is a shopping trip to Hong Kong or Singapore - or a couple of nights in the refreshingly cool mountain air of the Cameron Highlands (where, incidentally, they grow the best tea you'll ever taste) - really "onerous"?

I rather suspect that you may discover that working in the Philippines will be far more onerous re the demands of officialdom.

Whilst that is true, in practice just about all the available Quota Visas go to fixers one of which would see you safely through the process. For a fee, of course! But I do think that would be the best Visa for you as it will give you greater flexibility.

The agent would only retain your Passport for as long as it takes for him to get your Extension from BoI - two working days max. And that's the only document he's likely to need from you - apart from your signed authority for him to act on your behalf and the Extension application form.

Both are highly recommended. A trip that Mae and I had planned as our honeymoon but not able to take (baby got in the way!) was fly from Davao to Singapore, stay a night in Raffles then catch the night sleeper to Kuala Lumpur and take the bus to Georgetown, Penang. After a few days, fly back to Kuala Lumpur and spend 2 or 3 days at Fraser's Hill in the Cameron Highlands before returning to KL to fly home via Singapore. Not a cheap trip but well worth every penny.

An American friend, a former marine who used to work for Microsoft and Cisco, married to a Filipina and living in Cebu is the regional manager for an Australian company that manufactures rubber treads for caterpillar tractors. His company employed an immigration lawyer to get him his work visa, work permit/DOLE clearance and the whole process took the best part of six months. He's now in the process of transferring to a 13(a) Visa which will protect him should anything untoward happen workwise.

One thing you may wish to check is whether a Quota Visa would permit you to work, I think it does just as a 13(a) does. That would allow you to work at home and earn money but you'd still require the DOLE clearance to take a job in a company.

I have a few friends with Quota visa`s..One of them designs, builds and manages call centers from the ground up..
His company organised his visa about 12 years ago..
On average between my friends here, the costs via agents etc average around 200K.
I`m not sure now but I was told because of the stand off between Du30 and Immigration none are being issued because of the obvious corruption issues involved.
Who knows anything for a fact when dealing with R.P Gov. offices?
The good news is that since DU30,the ACR card is now valid for 5 years. (same as driving licences)

Yeah it does..Same with 13a.