A cash-strapped American has been arrested for allegedly overstaying his visa in the Philippines - for five years.

Vladislav Igorevich Black, 36, from Beverley Hills, California, had arrived in the Philippines in 2018, but was reportedly unable to renew his travel documents due to 'financial distress'.

To make ends meet, he was said to have been working illegally as a bus dispatcher before immigration officials caught him in a boarding house in General Santos City, South Cotabato province, on September 29.

Melody Penelope Gonzales, Bureau of Immigration (BI) Intelligence Deputy Chief for the Mindanao region, said an 'unnamed source' had reported the foreigner, known by the locals as 'John Black', to the agency.

Speaking to local media, Bureau of Immigration spokesman Dana Sandoval said: 'The man claimed he could not obtain the proper travel documents because he did not even have enough money for his daily expenses. He claimed he had a family in Russia, but he was unable to borrow money from them.'

Investigations found that Vladislav, whose parents are of Russian origin but has American citizenship, had been living in Digos City in Davao del Sur province for two years before moving to South Cotabato province.

Vladislav's friends from General Santos City said they had first met him when he was sleeping on a sidewalk and took him in out of pity.

Vladislav was detained at the General Santos City Police Office and will be transferred to the Bureau of Immigration's holding facility.

He is scheduled to be deported under Section 37 of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940, BI spokesperson Dana said.