Visa to the Philippines

[imagine]

wording taken from here http://philembassy-uk.org/consular-m...ayan-privilege

No visa shall be required, as a privilege, for maximum stay of one (1) year for the following, everytime they enter the country to visit, regardless of the frequency of their travel:

does this mean you can get Balikbayan more than the one time, ie if a couple leaves once a year then returns to renew Balikbayan,?

[Terpe]

.....does this mean you can get Balikbayan more than the one time, ie if a couple leaves once a year then returns to renew Balikbayan,?

Yes, we get 1 year BB everytime.

Many couples living in Philippines with make a short visit to say Hong Kong then return to Philippines and get another 1 year BB.

As long as you enter together you'll get the BB stamp

Although, having said that, I do of someone who's done that now for 6 years and has been told by Philippine Immigration that his activity is not correct and he might no be able to secure a BB stamp next time. He says he'll try and if it doesn't work he'll just work through the regular tourist visa route.

[imagine]

i guess its worth it for how ever many years you get away with it,

who knows ,next time he goes through imigration the subject might not be raised again, after all they did say might not be able to

[tanga]

Yes, we get 1 year BB everytime.

Many couples living in Philippines with make a short visit to say Hong Kong then return to Philippines and get another 1 year BB.

As long as you enter together you'll get the BB stamp

Although, having said that, I do of someone who's done that now for 6 years and has been told by Philippine Immigration that his activity is not correct and he might no be able to secure a BB stamp next time. He says he'll try and if it doesn't work he'll just work through the regular tourist visa route.

I know an expat who was living here on a BB visa for 7 years. Each year he and his wife took a trip out for a week or so then returned,and he got stamped in for another year. Two years ago the immigration asked him where his main residence was. It was obviously Philippines and they stamped him in for another year with the proviso that he should apply for a permanent resident visa as he was abusing the BB privilege. His passport was endorsed with this requirement and he was told this would be the last BB of which he could avail.
I doubt there would be any problem in getting regular BB stamps but anybody using the privilege for the full 12 months,year after year may find that they will be asked to secure the correct visa

[waytogo297]

As I suspected, the answer is complicated, as anything seems to be in relation to the Philippines.
I have also learned, there rarely is there any definitive answer or even a place you can get that answer, rather it seems you have to listen to what others experience themselves and say and try to find more information yourself and finally push through the paperwork and bureaucracy as a learn as you go experience.

It's also made more complicated in that often, people can achieve the same thing by different methods.

Thanks for all the answers though.

[Terpe]

As I suspected, the answer is complicated, as anything seems to be in relation to the Philippines.
I have also learned, there rarely is there any definitive answer or even a place you can get that answer, rather it seems you have to listen to what others experience themselves and say and try to find more information yourself and finally push through the paperwork and bureaucracy as a learn as you go experience.

It's also made more complicated in that often, people can achieve the same thing by different methods.

Thanks for all the answers though.

I don't see any complication in either securing tourists visa's for Philippines or in securing a BB stamp.
The rules are very cleary stated.
The complications are usually only seen when folk do not follow the rules.

It seems to me that the complication for you is in the plan you have for 6 months UK then 6months Philippines.
It's not a stable situation that easily sits with the immigration rules of either country.

Just my opinion on what I read