Personal checklist copy. Suggested dates are editable planning prompts, not legal, tax or immigration deadlines. Confirm requirements with the responsible authority.
☐ Check local banking options and documents
Ask the specific bank or branch what it accepts for your nationality and residence status. Compare fees and account access; approval is determined by the provider.
Guide: https://www.expatguidephilippines.com/guides/banking
☐ Add your actual immigration follow-up dates
Use the date and instructions issued for your individual stay. Check current procedures directly with Immigration and add personal reminders before any required action.
Philippine Bureau of Immigration: https://immigration.gov.ph/ · source checked 2026-09-09
☐ Build a weekly routine
Find a grocery route, a few meals you enjoy, exercise and a way to meet people. Try activities locally before paying for long commitments.
☐ Compare month one with your budget
Use your receipts to update recurring estimates. Separate one-time purchases from monthly costs and check how much of your reserve remains.
☐ Arrange any ongoing healthcare appointments
Follow the care plan agreed with your clinician. Confirm local appointments, medicine availability and records needed for continuity.
Guide: https://www.expatguidephilippines.com/guides/healthcare
☐ Close out shipping and unpacking
Check deliveries against your manifest, photograph damage and follow the provider’s claims process where needed. Update anything still in storage.
☐ Review your location and housing fit
Compare your daily experience with your original priorities. Note what you would change before renewing a stay or committing to a longer lease.
☐ Decide your next chapter
Review spending, housing, healthcare, work and your permitted stay. Make a deliberate choice about extending, changing city or returning home, then update your plan.