Safety & essentials
Pack a practical emergency go-bag
Choose essentials your household can carry, keep documents and contacts accessible, and test the bag before you need it.
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Practical guidance for the questions that come with life abroad.
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- Safety & essentials
Prepare your home for emergencies
Check the hazards relevant to your address, learn local instructions and make a practical household plan for evacuation or disruption.
- Everyday life
Set up mobile and home internet
Check registration, device compatibility and service at your exact address, then build a backup that can survive a local outage.
- Money & daily costs
Stress-test your retirement budget
Test higher bills, delayed income and an emergency trip before deciding how much of your retirement income is available to spend.
- Where to live
Check a rental before paying
Verify the unit and the lessor, inspect the conditions and agree the payment and repair terms before handing over a deposit.
- Visas & arrival
Extend your Philippine visitor stay
Find your actual authorized date, use the applicable BI checklist and confirm the updated record after your extension is processed.
- Health & wellbeing
Questions to ask before buying health cover
Compare policy wording, exclusions, renewal and claims arrangements before choosing insurance, an HMO or an assistance product.
- Visas & arrival
Philippines visa options for a longer stay
Compare the purpose of your stay with current official visa routes, then prepare questions and documents before making commitments.
- Money & daily costs
Open and manage a Philippine bank account
Ask the branch about your status, documents and account access before visiting, then compare costs and recovery arrangements.
- Travel & getting around
Plan everyday and inter-island transport
Compare the complete journey, verify terminals and timetables, and keep a workable alternative if a connection falls through.
- Safety & essentials
Make a local emergency contact plan
Keep national and local contacts, your exact address and a household check-in plan available when your phone or internet is unavailable.
- Where to live
Your rental move-in inspection
Record the condition of the unit, meters and inventory at handover, with a clear list of defects and agreed repairs.
