House Sitting Guide for Filipino Travellers
Filipino Travelers: Yes, You Can House Sit in the US, UK, and Australia (and in Other Countries Too).
Due to the illegal actions of a few individuals, Filipino travelers may undergo a bit more scrutiny at border crossings. Combine this fact with general traveler anxiety and if you’re intent on circling the globe on the cheap, you may have entirely ruled out house sitting as a viable lodging alternative.
If you follow a few simple steps you can land fabulous house sitting jobs around the world. Remember that you are traveling by the rules. Although you may have more visa requirements than the average traveler you should have no problems house sitting in virtually any country on earth if you stick to the rules. Clear your fears and generate good travel karma through doing things by the book. Be open, transparent and helpful to land house sits, to save money and to enjoy your globe trotting exploits. What is Housesitting? Check this website.
Benefits of House Sitting
Are you still a bit nervous about attempting to land the house sits in Westernized countries? Maybe I can whet your appetite and quell your fears with some mouth-watering benefits of doing house sits.
- Save hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of accommodations in many wealthy nations
- Surround yourself with fun, loving, entertaining pets (in many cases)
- Most house sits involve a minimal amount of work; you can build an online business while living in some posh digs, stress-free and rent-free
If you’re a bit more excited to do a sit, good! Seeing the sparkling, gleaming benefits of house sitting can override any travel-related fears some Filipinos may suffer through. You may have to take a few more steps than the average traveler to spend time in countries like the US, UK, and Australia but in the end game, it’s all worth it.
The United States and UK Requirements
You will need to travel with a visa to some Middle Eastern, North American and European countries. Apply for pre-approved visas before arriving in these countries. Some African and South American countries, as well as Japan, South Korea, China and the aforementioned European nations, require you to apply for a visa through the embassy of the first port of entry. You can check this guide for your reference on how to stay in Europe and to process your Schengen visa. Here’s a link for applying for a US visa for Filipinos.
Australia
Apply for a visitor visa for a 3-month stay outside of Australia. Review this checklist from the Australian Embassy (in the Philippines) to find out what you need to have in order before applying. You would likely be applying for the Visitor Tourist Stream Visa. Click that link for the form you would need to complete.
Visa-Free Travel
Most Southeast Asian and South Pacific countries offer visa-free travel for Filipinos. Landing a house sit in countries like Thailand or Vanuatu means a quick, easy trip into your temporary home. Flash your passport to receive 30 days in most lands.
Visa Free Countries
Certain South American countries deviate from their neighbors and offer visa-free travel. For Filipina traveler’s personal visa experiences, read this article. Some of the examples of countries are:
- Peru
- Ecuador
- Colombia
- Bolivia
- Brazil
If you can land a 30 to 60-day house sit in these countries more power to you.
Worldwide
Kosovo, Israel, and Morocco are visa-free lands for Filipinos. The pinpoint house sits in these countries to save yourself some time and energy.
As for the House Sit…..
Transparency reigns supreme for the housesit applicants to get a second look. Independent of your native land most homeowners scour over the basics, like testimonials from recent sits as well as contact information. View your profile from a 3rd party perspective. How transparent are you? Include links to your blog and your business website. Share your email address and Skype ID. Respond to homeowners within 1 business day to prove that you’re a living, breathing person who wants to land the house sit. Getting your visa game in order is only the one step of the process. You also need to be attractive to homeowners. These people are entrusting their homes and in many cases, beloved pets, to your care.
Here are a few ideas which can spruce up your profile”
- stress the fact that you are more of a homebody (homeowners want someone around to watch their home; if you’re a non-stop party guy or gal, don’t bother with house-sitting)
- loving animals will put you ahead of many sitters; post images of yourself with pets and other furry little creatures to drill the point home
- post multiple points of contact on your house sitting profiles; give homeowners variety so they can reach you through their channel of choice
At a bare minimum, you will need a Skype ID and email address to be in contact with homeowners and to wade through the interview process. Most people will interview you at least once through Skype to get a feel for the chemistry between both parties. Find a reliable internet connection and set up a time which works for both homeowner and yourself. Be natural, honest and genuine during the interview process. Find the right match whether it’s in the US, Australia, the UK or anywhere in the world.
Western Countries Offer You Ample Opportunities for House Sits
Many Western homeowners have the means and desire to travel regularly. Europeans and Australians love to travel worldwide and Americans are keen on shorter, frequent trips to neighboring Canada and Mexico, as well as to Costa Rica. You will note a disproportionate number of house sits popping up in countries like:
- Australia
- France –
- The UK
- The US
Set up alerts to be notified whenever the house sits in your preferred countries become available. Match up sits with visa requirements from these countries. If your allotted tourist visa time covers the house sit you can apply for the sit. Once you have landed a house sit proceed with the visa process in countries which require a pre-approved visa.
The Websites
Trusted House Sitters or House Carers, these are 2 of the better house sitting sites for finding good, dependable sits. Set up your user-profiles and include as much personal information as possible to inspire homeowners to trust you. Be honest in your preferences. Find the best matches. After you set up alerts, check your email daily. House sitting may be a chill activity once you land a sit but the application and interview process tends to be a fast-paced ordeal. Be on the ball to land more jobs.
In the End….
Visas are issued at the discretion of governments. In rare cases, you may be denied entry into a country but you’re almost guaranteed to receive visas for a series of Western nations for fun, fulfilling house sits. Don’t give up! Look for your ideal house sits, apply persistently, review the visa process for each nation (unless it’s a visa-free country for Filipinos) and you will find the right match.
Your Turn…
Have you applied for or have you landed house sits in the US, UK or Australia as a Filipino? What was it like? Please share your experiences below.
About the Writer:
Hi, I’m Carey, a writer at Blaze Your Adventure. I’m an aspiring scuba diver, novice spelunker, and avid adventurer; I have a penchant for getting lost with an established track record for choosing the worst places to eat. With a healthy aversion to staying in one place for too long, I am the ceaseless wanderer and explorer. I recently traded in the suit for a backpack, and am now pursuing to live a life of travel. I travel to learn, I travel to live and I travel in search of the epic adventure.
Follow their Adventures on:
Facebook: Blaze Your Adventure
Twitter: Blaze Your Adventure
Google +: Blaze Your Adventure
