AboutBill and Lorna Collings Expertise Feel FREE to ask us about traveling, living, relocating, retiring and investing in the Philippines. Guests from 83 countries make our place in Manila an incredible meeting place for world travelers who exchange travel stories and information. We understand both the joys and the hardships of living and traveling in the Philippines.
Experience I arrived in the Philippines in January 1980 to travel for 2 months; I stayed 4 months before reluctantly leaving. I met my Filipina wife, Lorna. an incredible stellar, "one in a million" individual in 1983 in Seoul and we moved to the Philippines in 1986 and opened our 3BR house to world travelers on a budget. After welcoming thousands of guests from 83 nations our place has grown to 30 bedrooms but will never lose its "Home away from Home" atmosphere. Almost everyday at The Townhouse Hotel there's a party-like social scene with vibrant, almost magical energetic conversations between our guests who have the pleasure to meet each other and share their life's many experiences. Sometimes. three groups with conversations in different langauges are going on at the same time.
So we've been exposed to every kind of person from all over the world and shared their experiences.
Publications Suite101.com, eDreams.com, expertcentral.com ( who asked me to apply with allexperts.com since About.com has bought both companies and are in the process of integrating them)
Education/Credentials some college 2-1/2 years - no degree - I've been traveling since I was 18, almost 30 years.
Awards and Honors Luckily, my wife and I have been semi-retired since we were 30 years old, more than 15 years.
Question QUESTION: Is it at all possible for a girl to come here to the USA to meet me? Maybe on a travel Visa? If so, is it difficult to get? And any hints to obtaining? And... Once here, can a fiance of marriage visa be obtained at that point?
ANSWER: Sorry Doug, Two thirds of humanity live in an economic "prison" unable to get visas to enter countries like USA,Canada, Europe, Japan and other advanced industrial economies. Getting a Filipina to the States will require a very long paperwork process applying for a fiancee visa ( PRIOR to her departure ) or marrying her in the Philippines and applying for an immigrant visa. The length of time will be from 6 months up to 2 years. So more or less getting a Filipino into advanced countries anywhere in the world is like " finding needle in a haystack".
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QUESTION: Darn, I was hoping she could come meet me on a visitors visa short term and then go back. I am deathly afraid to fly and that was my solution. It looked like it was possible from the US Philippino Embassys website but I guess what your saying is that is will be denied before she even gets there. Thanks
Answer That's RIGHT, it's a waste of time. There is medication available for those people afraid of flying or prone altitude sickness. Takle awalk on the "wild side" and GO FOR IT! We have a family style guest house near the Manila airports and beach front resort on Boracay Island ( possible to go by bus and ferry to save you from flying ) should you need a place to stay and meet your special Filipina.
