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mhic-mhic
4th April 2009, 20:21
hi guys,can anyone have an idea about what is balikbayan visa?And how it works?thanks
darren-b
5th April 2009, 00:49
The balikbayan visa lets former filipinos and spouses of filipino (or former filipino) citizens stay in the Philippines for up to a year. It's free and is granted by immigration on the way in.

(I'm currently in the Philippines and was ganted one a week or so ago.)
mhic-mhic
5th April 2009, 18:53
oh i see,,so its for former filipinos,,thanks
darren-b
6th April 2009, 02:13
oh i see,,so its for former filipinos,,thanks

Or their non-filipino spouses (like me) - means I don't have to apply for a visa if I want to stay in the Philippines for a holiday longer than 3 weeks.

If you are filipino you don't need a visa to stay in the Philippines.
rob legend
6th April 2009, 08:40
Can you arrive together in Philippines with just a one way ticket and apply for Balikbayan visa or are you supposed to have outward ticket as with the tourist visa ??
jta
6th April 2009, 13:12
The balikbayan visa lets former filipinos and spouses of filipino (or former filipino) citizens stay in the Philippines for up to a year. It's free and is granted by immigration on the way in.

(I'm currently in the Philippines and was ganted one a week or so ago.)

hi darren,

Just want to have clarifications, Hows this work? Let say my husband traveling with me to the Philippines, is it automatic stamp on his passport or we need to ask for a stamp? Where? Thanks....
darren-b
6th April 2009, 14:43
hi darren,

Just want to have clarifications, Hows this work? Let say my husband traveling with me to the Philippines, is it automatic stamp on his passport or we need to ask for a stamp? Where? Thanks....

It seems to happen fairly automatically at immigration, though if concerned you could always highlight the fact that your husband wants a 1 year 'stamp'.
jta
6th April 2009, 20:17
Thank u for the reply. cheers!
mhic-mhic
17th April 2009, 19:39
guys,thank you so much for the greetings...
xebec
17th April 2009, 19:47
Just as a point of clarification (and happy to be corrected if someone knows better) the Filipino has to have been out of the country for a year for it to take effect.

I hope that is the case (I read it on the Philippines UK Embassy website) because our trip in June has been calculated on the basis of leaving on the 21st day so as to avoid visa cost. With free visa entry we may have extended by a couple of days.
darren-b
18th April 2009, 13:53
Just as a point of clarification (and happy to be corrected if someone knows better) the Filipino has to have been out of the country for a year for it to take effect.

I hope that is the case (I read it on the Philippines UK Embassy website) because our trip in June has been calculated on the basis of leaving on the 21st day so as to avoid visa cost. With free visa entry we may have extended by a couple of days.

"No visa shall be required for a maximum stay of one (1) year for the following Balikbayans, every time they enter the Philippines to visit, regardless of the frequency of their travel to the Philippines."

But you may be correct, or it may just depend on what the immigration officer thinks at the time.