Travel to Manila Question

[tone]

We are planning to send the wife and baby over to Manila in the next few months.
Rina wants to stay for 6 weeks - no issue for a Filipino passport holder but as Zayne will have a British passport I have two questions:-

1. Will our baby get a visa for 6 weeks on arrival? Sounds silly but it's a serious question.
2. If I send them over on a free emirates Rewards flight 'one way' do you think there will be any issue if I arrange the return flight at a later date? Or do they have to have a return flight?

Cheers
Tone

[Arthur Little]

Hmm ... tricky one, Tone. But I'm sure I read somewhere that any *accompanying unmarried children of a Filipino national *who happen to have been born abroad are, in effect, entitled to the same Balikbyan privilege afforded to a foreign married partner, i.e., visa-free entry for a period of up to one year.

IF I am correct and this IS the case, then it should allow Rina & Zayne to travel to the Philippines using the Emirates Airmiles Rewards scheme - thus enabling you to follow through with your original plan of booking their return flights at a later date.

[tone]

Hi Arthur
Thanks for the reply, seems crazy that it would work in any other way to be honest.
But I can't allow them to land in Manila to be told Zayne is only getting 18 days visa (or whatever it is now).
Tone

[Arthur Little]

Hi Arthur
Thanks for the reply, seems crazy that it would work in any other way to be honest.

Pleasure, mate. Fingers crossed I'm RIGHT ... because it would be any other way.

But I can't allow them to land in Manila to be told Zayne is only getting 18 days visa (or whatever it is now).
Tone

... although I think it's probably still 21 days for non-Balikbyan visa holders.

[grahamw48]

Hia mate.

We first took our boy (Brit Passport) to the Phils when he was 3 months old, and he stayed for 4 months on that occasion. It's a long time ago now, but I'm sure there wasn't even a mention of visas etc. Your baby will be given a Balikbayan stamp anyway...if with his mum.

Later, when my son was about 2 years old, we got him 'recognised' as a Filipino citizen too, so then no visa issues at all when staying after that.

Anyway, don't worry about it, there won't be any problems. Take his birth certificate (or copy) with you.

I would have thought the airlines would flag it up if there was any issue connected with babies travelling.

I'm sure no return tickets will be necessary to enter the Phils.

Make the most of it while his ticket is cheap !

edited to add:

I just double-checked.

Your wife simply needs to ask for Balibayan for your baby....sorted.

[irishman12]

http://immigration.gov.ph/index.php?...d=16&Itemid=37 Nationals from countries listed below are allowed to enter the Philippines without visas for a stay not exceeding twenty-one (21) days, provided they hold valid tickets for their return journey to port of origin or next port of destination. Department regulations require that passports are valid for a period of not less than six (6) months beyond the contemplated period of stay. However, Immigration Officers at ports of entry may exercise their discretion to admit holders of passports valid for at least sixty (60) days beyond the intended period of stay return or onward ticket is required but that may not apply for filipino citizen and their child ,you dont get visa on arrival -you get a visa waiver for 21days and extend for 38 days either at airport or in city ,best would be contact emirates before booking flight and also someone in the embassy .

[Cold Spud]

Hello couple! Welcome to fil-uk forum!
Actually graham and arthur is right, philippines immigration does consider the child of a filipino holder passport so, no need to worry. I have a friend who had the same concerns when she travelled back to philippines but, it all went ok through the immigration since she had brought with her the child's birth crtificate. To be sure, visit the website given by our respected member here. www.immigration.gov.ph

Hi Arthur
Thanks for the reply, seems crazy that it would work in any other way to be honest.
But I can't allow them to land in Manila to be told Zayne is only getting 18 days visa (or whatever it is now).
Tone

[tone]

Thanks all for the information.
Do you think along with the birth cert Rina should take a copy of our marriage cert too?

Tone

[Cold Spud]

I dont think its necessary but, to be on the safe side, I would suggest that you take a copy of your marriage contract anyway and its best to go to balikbayan queue and declare that she is travelling with family. I used to do that everytime we visits ph so my british husband can get a year days of stay when he is planning to stay longer than 21 days.

[grahamw48]

Definitely take marriage cert when YOU are travelling with wife, so you get Balikbayan.

Not really necessary for your wife and baby. (You don't HAVE to be married to have a child of course.....especiallly in the Phils).

[irishman12]

its just the wife and baby that are travelling

[grahamw48]

Yes, I got that. That's why my first line...for when he IS.

[tone]

Graham
Do we need to register our marriage for the balikbayan to work?
We've been lazy - have the forms filled out and photos just haven't posted it off to the Phils embassy!

Again many thanks for all the info!
Tone

[Cold Spud]

Sorry, did not read Tone's inquiry properly and thought husband would be travelling too

[grahamw48]

Graham
Do we need to register our marriage for the balikbayan to work?
We've been lazy - have the forms filled out and photos just haven't posted it off to the Phils embassy!

Again many thanks for all the info!
Tone

I don't think it matters, as long as you have a marriage cert issued SOMEWHERE...ie, proving that you ARE married (which is all they want to know).

As it happens the ex and I were married in the Phils, so it was a local certificate anyway.

So anyway, yes, I'd have thought any marriage cert will do, as long as both of your names are on it.

[grahamw48]

Our boy's first day in the Phils at 3 months old.

.

[tone]

Thanks once again Graham, and everyone else.
Lovely photo mate!

My son is nearly 6 months old now it's gone so fast and he has quite bad eczema so a while in the Phils will no doubt help him out, whilst meeting the mothers family.

Sounds like with the right docs its no problem.

Cheers
Tone

[grahamw48]

That's actually his aunty holding him, plus other relations who came to meet us in Naga (Bicol)...off the plane.

After that we rode on the 'Skate' on the railway line, about 20 miles to the family village.

Hopefully the sunshine there will help your son's condition ( I too was an 'eczema baby') . Happily it does tend to go away as babies get older. Sometimes cow's milk can make it worse.

[grahamw48]

Second trip....(for about 2 years), with mum.

.