Balikbayan visa & return tickets

[Welsh_Italian]

Hello everyone,

I will be flying to the Phils very soon with my wife for a long-term stay. Because she is a Filipino citizen and we will arrive at NAIA together, we will apply for a Balikbayan visa for myself, but I have a question.

If I will be applying for a Balikbayan visa, will I need a return ticket? I've been doing some reading, and found conflicting information: some people say that having a return ticket is necessary, others that a return ticket within 21 days (ie, within the tourist visa limit) is needed, and others yet that a return ticket is not necessary because availing of the Balikbayan privilege will let me stay for one year.

We will be flying to HK and then from HK to Manila with Cebu-Pacific.

[dondi]

You may well be better off applying for a non-quota immigrant visa. Below is the guidelines taken from the Phil Embassy in London website:


Non-Quota Immigrant Visa

Who are qualified to apply for the visa ?

A foreign national married to a Filipino national may apply for the visa provided that he is able to prove that :

(1) he contracted a valid marriage with a Filipino citizen;

(2) the marriage is recognized under existing Philippine laws;

(3) there is no record of any derogatory information against the applicant from relevant law enforcement agencies;

(4) he/she is of good physical and mental health; and (5) he/she has sufficient funds to support his/her family.


Documentary Requirements
Three (3) original copies of the application form (FA Form No.3) duly accomplished and signed

Three (3) original copies of the medical report form (FA Form No.11) with:

· Original and 2 photocopies of laboratory report
· Chest x-ray film (11’x17’)
· Certification from the General Medical Council that the Doctor who signed the medical report is duly registered to practise medicine in the United Kingdom

Six (6) passport photographs (4.5cm x 3.5cm)

Original and three (3) photocopies of evidence of financial capacity (e.g. bank statements; pension benefits statement; title to properties, etc.)

Three (3) photocopies of the Philippine passport or birth certificate of Filipino spouse duly authenticated by the Philippine National Statistics Office (www.e-census.com.ph or www.census.gov.ph)

Original and three (3) photocopies of marriage certificate

For applicants with prior marriage/s: Submit the original and three (3) photocopies of proof of dissolution of the prior marriage/s (e.g. death certificate, annulment order, etc.)

Original and three (3) photocopies of the birth certificate/s of unmarried minor child/ren

Original and three (3) photocopies of a “Certification of Good Moral Character” from an applicant’s employer or parish priest or any person of good standing in the community

Current passport of the applicant with at least six (6) months validity

Application fee of One Hundred Eight Pounds (GBP108.00) in Cash or Postal Money Order


Applicant must schedule an appointment with the visa officer and submit the above documents. On the same day, a consul will interview the applicant and inform him/her of the decision on his/her application.

[A_flyer]

If I will be applying for a Balikbayan visa, will I need a return ticket? I've been doing some reading, and found conflicting information: some people say that having a return ticket is necessary, others that a return ticket within 21 days (ie, within the tourist visa limit) is needed, and others yet that a return ticket is not necessary because availing of the Balikbayan privilege will let me stay for one year.

My experience at immigration in Manila is that they didn't asked me the return ticket to grant me a Balikbayan visa. We just show both passport and NSO sepca marriage certificate and it was immediatly given.

You may well be better off applying for a non-quota immigrant visa.

Yes you can but it's complicate, needs a lot of papers and is costly.

For Balikbayan visa, you need to travel and enter Philippines with your Filipina wife (means passing immigration together), have your passports and a NSO sepca marriage certificate (or the record certificate from the Philippines Embassy if NSO certificate not available yet for a marriage abroad), and there's no visa fee (visa duration is 1 year).

[walesrob]

I agree with Yves, there is no need to apply for the Non-Quota Immigrant Visa when the Balikbayan Visa will do the job.

[Welsh_Italian]

Thanks for the advice everyone!

Just for the sake of information, my wife and I arrived at NAIA yesterday evening with both our passports and marriage cert (authenticated) yesterday and began the queue at immigration. We both approached the immigration officer together and my wife asked if I could avail of the Balikbayan privilege. The woman's response was "he can pay when he leaves" which didn't make sense until some time after when we both thought that she was expecting some kind of payout.

Our situation may have been different though because my wife had only been out of the Phils for just over 3 months. From reading the legislation, the Balikbayan act only applies to ex-Filipinos, VFOs, or Filipinos who have been continuously out of the country for 12 months or more, none of which apply to my wife.

Still, it's a laugh, isn't it?

I guess we'll just get by with visa extensions for the time being and look into residency visas later on. I'm due to fly back to the UK before 6 months so the extensions might be the best option for the time being.

[fred]

The Balikbayan stamp is NOT a visa.
When you arrive at NAIA , normally you will be granted this privilege by the immigration officer when travelling with your wife..I have never personally been refused it for any reason and even received a stamp once when I requested it when only travelling with my son!(4 yr old at the time with RP passport)..
A return ticket is usually required by the airline and not having one can potentially cause a problem.
The residency visa (13a) is better obtained from the RP embassy in London for reasons I dont have time to explain right now.. It takes time to get due to the requirements that you need..Medical etc..
Its well worth getting if you plan on staying 18 months or more.

[PeterB]

I have never been asked to show a return ticket when arriving at Davao ... just as well because on my most recent arrival, I didn't have one, and have no particular plans to return to UK.

[baboyako]

I have never been asked to show a return ticket when arriving at Davao ... just as well because on my most recent arrival, I didn't have one, and have no particular plans to return to UK.

he's gone native

[Welsh_Italian]

The Balikbayan stamp is NOT a visa.
When you arrive at NAIA , normally you will be granted this privilege by the immigration officer when travelling with your wife..I have never personally been refused it for any reason and even received a stamp once when I requested it when only travelling with my son!(4 yr old at the time with RP passport)..
A return ticket is usually required by the airline and not having one can potentially cause a problem.
The residency visa (13a) is better obtained from the RP embassy in London for reasons I dont have time to explain right now.. It takes time to get due to the requirements that you need..Medical etc..
Its well worth getting if you plan on staying 18 months or more.

Apparently the system for applying for a s13(a) (and other similar) visas has been revamped recently. The system came into effect I think on the 14th January and is known as VIMS (Visa Issuance Made Simple) though it only appears to apply to applications made within the RP itself.

I'll be applying for a s13(a) soon and will let people know how it goes. A lot of the former requirements have been dropped and the applicant needs to provide:

1. Duly notarized letter of application by the Filipino spouse;
2. General Application Form duly accomplished and notarized (BI Form No. MCL-07-01);
3. NSO authenticated copy of Birth certificate of Filipino spouse;
4. NSO authenticated copy of the Marriage Contract of alien and Filipino spouse or authenticated by the Philippine embassy/consulate nearest to or in the place where the marriage was solemnized;
5. Bureau of Immigration (BI) Clearance Certificate; and
6. Plain photocopy of passport of alien spouse showing dates of arrival and authorized stay.

So gone are the requirements for medical clearance, financial wellbeing and criminal checks in the applicants own country which might make the process somewhat easier than applying in the UK, though how it works in reality (ie, queues, beaurocracy, bribes etc) may differ.

(see http://immigration.gov.ph//index.php...=208&Itemid=98 for more information). An officer and assistants are apparently ready to check through the application before it is made to ensure that all the right materials are present.

This system was introduced supposedly to streamline the visa application process and to reduce the influence of "fixers". I'm not sure if it does what it says it is supposed to as it is early days yet.

[jimeve]

I was at Hong Kong airport Departure lounge with my Filipina wife,
with a one way ticket to Cebu, they refused to let me check in. had to buy a return ticket cebu/Hong kong. even after telling them I have Balikbayan privleges

Jim

[walesrob]

I was at Hong Kong airport Departure lounge with my Filipina wife,
with a one way ticket to Cebu, they refused to let me check in. had to buy a return ticket cebu/Hong kong. even after telling them I have Balikbayan privleges

Jim

Blimey, thats a first, maybe HK immigration are getting strict!

[A_flyer]

I was at Hong Kong airport Departure lounge with my Filipina wife,
with a one way ticket to Cebu, they refused to let me check in. had to buy a return ticket cebu/Hong kong. even after telling them I have Balikbayan privleges

The problem is that airlines are fined (and it can be "heavy") if it's proved that they let someone fly whithout the correct documents required by destination immigration (meaning if the person is denied entering the destination country for lack of documents, or fake documents).

And I don't know your exact situation in this travel but the balikbayan privilege gives you a "Visa-free stay in the Philippines for a period of one (1) year for foreign passport holders.". Meaning if you go out of the country during this period, you have to request again a balikbayan privilege at your entry in the Philippines (so meaning you have still have with you the required document to request it). In your case, you needed both passport and NSO marriage certificate.

It's not a multiple entry 1 year visa, but just a visa-free for a 1 year stay within the Philippines country.

I'm afraid that, for you, they strictly applied the immigration requirements.

See here: http://www.philembassy.se/consulr/info/bpvp.htm

[jimeve]

Thanks for the info, but what if I wanted to stay in the Philippines for the full
12 months, the air lines only allow so many months for a return flight.
if you see what I mean.

[A_flyer]

Thanks for the info, but what if I wanted to stay in the Philippines for the full
12 months, the air lines only allow so many months for a return flight.
if you see what I mean.

The answer is below, did you have with you the required papers and did you present them when the airline requested you to buy a return ticket, to explain them that you will ask a Balikbayan privilege at the immigration arrival?

4. For Family Members of a Balikbayan

• Valid passport
• Any of the following:
  - birth certificate in the case of the children
  - marriage certificate in case of spouses
  - adoption papers in case of legally-adopted children

[jimeve]

I showed them, valid passports both mine and wifes, marriage certificate.
no children, so I needn't show birth certificate.

What else do I show, are there any more requirements?

balikbayans and their spouse can stay up to two years now, just looked it up !

[A_flyer]

I showed them, valid passports both mine and wifes, marriage certificate.
no children, so I needn't show birth certificate.

What else do I show, are there any more requirements?

What passport has your wife? a Filipino one?

Who is a Balikbayan:

• Former Filipino citizens holding foreign passports, including spouses and children travelling with them.
• Filipinos who have continuously been out of the Philippines for at least one (1) year.
• Filipino overseas workers.

If the 2nd case is reflecting your Wife's status, the green Philippines Immigration stamp (departure date) should show she leaves the Philippines at least 1 year ago for her to qualify as a Balikbayan.

balikbayans and their spouse can stay up to two years now, just looked it up !

Balikbayan privilege is still one year but can be extended up to 12 months. It means a continuous stay in the Philippines up to 2 years and you need to request extensions (2 months per 2 months up to 12 months after the initial year) at the nearest Philippines Bureau of Immigration:
Extension of stay for Temporary Visitor admitted as Balikbayan:
Temporary Visitors admitted under RA 6768 or "Balikbayan" classification who were given an initial authorized stay on one (1) year, may be granted an extension of not more than two (2) months for non-restricted nationals and one (1) month for restricted nationals per application. As with 9(a) visa holders, this privilege is limited for a maximum extension of twelve (12) months for non-restricted nationals and six (6) months for restricted nationals per admission.

This stay up to 2 years is in line with the ability for a visitor visa (9a visa) holder to extend the initial 21 days waiver visa stay to be extended till 2 years (change of rule in August 2007).

[jimeve]

My wife has a Philippine Passport, last time we left Philippines was
2005, and it is stamped 2005.

all the papers was in order, the had no right making me buy a return ticket.

I should complain really, I wont be taking that route again.

[A_flyer]

My wife has a Philippine Passport, last time we left Philippines was
2005, and it is stamped 2005.

all the papers was in order, the had no right making me buy a return ticket.

I should complain really, I wont be taking that route again.

Complaining is always making the things worst! Explaining quietly is always better. You will get more things by being kind and smiling while staying on your grounds rather than shouting and complaining.

[jimeve]

I mean I should complain now, to the right authority.
At the time I was all smiling

All the best

Jim

[geoffm]

My experiences: Couldn't buy Cebu Pacific tickets online with a UK credit card (they revamped their website a few weeks ago and now you can) so they were reserved over the phone. No proof that I had a ticket out of the Phils. We were on our honeymoon, entering Phils via Singapore and leaving via Hong Kong, on different airlines. JetStar asked for proof of onward ticket whilst checking in at Singapore, which I didn't have - we had yet to reach the Phils to pick up the tickets, and JetStar's reservations computer doesn't talk to Cebu Pacific's, and the latter is in a different terminal at Singapore.

But JetStar were helpful and told me the cheapest way of getting around the restriction - buy a fully refundable ticket. I would have been out of pocket until the ticket was refunded, less an admin fee of about £10. But whilst I was booking on their computer, the agent noticed I had a Filipino passport with me (my wife's). He asked if I was married - yes. He asked if I had the marriage certificate - yes. Produced those and I satisfied the immigration restrictions and was free to board the plane.

Upon arrival at Manila immigration, no check was made for marriage or onward travel. But I stayed for only 2 weeks so didn't need anything special beyond a 21-day tourist visa.

Yes, the airlines are right to demand proof lest they incur an extra traveller back from whence they came, plus whatever fines they get, but if you had the proof (Balikbayan or not) then they should have let you on. So I think Cebu Pacific were wrong to demand a return ticket. It's a funny airline, sometimes you get great service on there, with no quibble changes and tiny admin fees for changes; yet other times they can be a PITA whilst you stand at a counter for hours whilst they do goodness knows what.

Geoff M.

[A_flyer]

So I think Cebu Pacific were wrong to demand a return ticket.

They are right, by law you should have a return ticket when entering the Philippines (unless you have a permanent residency of course). Read here: http://filipinaroses.com/showpost.ph...50&postcount=9