Over the past month, I finally committed to processing my SRRV Courtesy Visa (ex-military). Until then, I had been renewing my tourist visa every two months while taking time to step back and make sure this was truly the right move. More than one expat advised me to slow my roll, and they weren’t wrong. The SRRV Courtesy visa is time-consuming and expensive, and for most of us it represents a serious commitment.

All told, the process runs about $5,000, which covers medical exams, application and PRA fees, background checks, document preparation, travel, lodging, and food. It’s not something to rush into lightly.

We flew into Manila and took a Grab to Makati City, where we booked a condo for a week. This was my first time spending any real time in the Manila area outside of airport transit, and I wanted to explore a bit while handling my visa requirements.

First piece of advice:
At NAIA—or really any airport—do not use the regular taxis unless you want to overpay. Download the Grab app (similar to Uber) and book your rides there. You’ll save thousands of pesos during your stay. If you don’t want to download the app, look for the official Grab booth outside Terminals 2 and 3.

We arrived early and had about an hour before check-in, so we left our luggage with the doorman and went out to find something to eat. One of the first things we noticed was the variety of restaurants. In General Santos, non-Filipino food options are limited, so it was refreshing to have choices. We grabbed something quick at a Vietnamese restaurant before heading back.

The condo itself was small but very comfortable and located in a great area—close to the firm assisting me with the visa process.

You can absolutely process your SRRV on your own. I chose to work with a consultant firm based in Makati to help guide me through the process. I won’t name them publicly, but if you’re interested, feel free to message me and I’ll pass along their information.

That evening, we relaxed and took advantage of the amenities in the complex before turning in early.

The next morning after breakfast, we met our team and headed out to complete two required steps that must be done in the Philippines:

• Medical examination
• NBI background check

While many SRRV requirements can be completed in your home country, these two cannot.

Our first stop was the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). If you’re doing this on your own, ignore the vendors on the sidewalk offering “help.” They are simply trying to charge you for services that are free inside. Go directly inside the building and follow the instructions from the staff.

The process includes completing paperwork, paying the official fees, fingerprinting, and having your photo taken. The requirements and documents needed are available online. While having a guide made things smoother, it’s absolutely doable on your own.

From the NBI, we crossed the street to Manila Doctors Hospital, where we started at the corporate business office to obtain the PRA medical forms. From there, I completed a full battery of tests required by the Philippine Retirement Authority.

You must be medically cleared by the hospital before your SRRV packet can be submitted. With the consultant firm handling the logistics, the process was completely stress-free and surprisingly fast. I completed everything in about four hours.

Once finished, the consultant firm took responsibility for retrieving all records and submitting them to the PRA, which meant my part of the process was done.