Author: Reekay V.
Since 2012 I’ve been traveling through various islands of the Philippines as a full-time Expat and spent 1999 living in Vietnam.
Share with me my ongoing adventures of life in the Philippines. Hopefully you find my observations helpful in your own adventures.
— Reekay
American Consulate – Cebu City.. https://maps.app.goo.gl/TWiLgG5fTYGst9Ye9
American Embassy – Manila.. https://maps.app.goo.gl/EkWqAP4RhkMxWg3Z7
Canadian Embassy – Manila.. https://maps.app.goo.gl/EAfbP6bevxV3bEV29
British Embassy – Manila.. https://maps.app.goo.gl/MPfqBXw4u5Abgnry9
UK/Northern Ireland Embassy – Manila.. https://maps.app.goo.gl/RXGTpRtUr9qdQNtq8
Embassy of Australia – Manila.. https://maps.app.goo.gl/BjjwT9c9v7yd48Yy9
Austrailian Embassy – Manila.. https://maps.app.goo.gl/mXjfF1ZTccykDrL89
— The Only Filipina Dating Site I recommend.. https://bit.ly/christian-filipina-dating
— For Expat Health Insurance in the Philippines, please contact Michael Onstad at;
https://www.facebook.com/monstad1 or email at; [email protected]
Want a private online consultation? Contact me at; https://www.facebook.com/reekay.new
See this week’s most interesting comments/questions here..
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“5-Minutes With Reekay” channel.. https://www.youtube.com/@5minuteswithreekay/videos
— How I send Money to the Philippines.. https://remit.ly/1amhoix
— Loctote Flak Sack Ⅱ – Anti Theft Backpack.. https://amzn.to/3tXuBDk
— Get a Quote on Expat Health Insurance.. https://bit.ly/expat-insurance-LBTSea
View My Videos by Category here.. http://bit.ly/reekays-video-playlists
My “Heaven & Earth” Podcast Channel (theology)..
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I can only agree. Never ask your own government for help. They will not help you unless you have a very good bank account. Then the Marines will come to rescue you if you are a US citizen. Germans are always on their own and no German embassy will help you. That is why everyone should have an emergency plan for abroad.
Excellent Video, I hope that people pay attention to your comments. I spent 30 plus years working in eight different U.S. Embassies in Latin America and Asia, mainly in Consular or Economic Affairs.
Funny how some expats have these fantasies of VIP expat status. It is probably a good idea to brush up on this and note essential addresses and numbers just in misfortune hits. My uncle, when he traveled in the 1960s had a belt buckle cast from gold alloy, and plated with base metal so he could sell it if he was robbed.
Don’t count on your government for anything.
Overall, good information but there are lots of little errors regarding US embassy policy and the processes aren’t as strict as Reekay says.
Proof of citizenship: while it’s best to have your passport, or a copy of it, it’s not required. Consular officers can verify your citizenship from passport records.
You must be at the embassy: very helpful up be but not necessarily true. If you get stuck on an island, they can process the loan remotely if its absolutely necessary. This is rare but possible.
Medical: there are some assistance programs available but they are loans that must be repaid. These are rare.
Repat loans: these are funds of last resort so they will ask for contacts to ensure you have no resources and no friends or family who can help. There is no credit check and the circumstances of not getting ‘approved’ are very rare. Its not an entitlement but you’ll probably get one if your truly destitute. Your passport will be stamped “direct return to US” or you’ll be provided an emergency passport which says the same and you wont receive a new passport until the loan is repaid.
Emergency passport: the US has the ability to provide an emergency passport generated by the embassy. These are valid for up to a year typically and should be exchanged for full validity during that period.
If you’re in any of these situations, call American Citizen Service section at the embassy or nearest consulate. The office in Cebu is not a consulate, it’s a consular agency staffed by a consular agent who has limited consular powers.
Like Reekay said, the best help is self help. His $2k advice is spot on.
Another point is to save Dollars and Pesos in a safe inside your place of stay when emergencies do show up and you can’t get any money due to no electricity.
I probably never seek financial assistance from American Consulate in Cebu City but I do concern my safety there.
FANTASTIC VIDEO. Great job on this!
Do the loan just cover ticket cost.
Uk document is called an emergency travel document, it gives you access one way to the UK only, it can be used indirect, but you can’t leave the transfers area in (say) Istanbul.
In short, no they won’t (UK embassy), no matter where you are.
Reekay please start doing your late night podcast again, I really miss the calm late night philosophical chats.