Foreigner With No Return Ticket

[Dave Hounddriver]

IMPORTANT NOTE:

The above notice refers to BALIKBAYANS who are returning filipinos. It may or may not refer to the spouses of same, who have a BB stamp to visit one year.

As always, your mileage may vary, depending who you meet at the Immigration desk.

[i am bob]

you're not granted the BB stamp until you are at Philippines Immigration, and they can still deny to give you. It's a privilege, not a right.

Very true! Until you get that stamp the first time you are still just another tourist!

[i am bob]

IMPORTANT NOTE:

The above notice refers to BALIKBAYANS who are returning filipinos. It may or may not refer to the spouses of same, who have a BB stamp to visit one year.

As always, your mileage may vary, depending who you meet at the Immigration desk.

The reference I had earlier stated that it also includes qualifying family members as long as they have the proper papers as required. I'll look for it again and post it in a few minutes. But, as always, you're right! Your mileage may vary depending on who you meet at the immigration desk!

[MikeB]

you're not granted the BB stamp until you are at Philippines Immigration, and they can still deny to give you. It's a privilege, not a right.

Very true! Until you get that stamp the first time you are still just another tourist!

Not just the 1st time, when you leave the country and they put the departure stamp in your passport the BB is no longer valid. It is a temporary privilege accorded to returning Filipinos, their spouses, and immediate family; not a visa.

[i am bob]

References for Balikbayan are as follows:

Canada http://www.philcongen-toronto.com/consular/consular_balikbayan.php

USA: http://www.philippineconsulatela.org/balikbayan.htm#1

Great Britain: http://philembassy-uk.org/consular-matters/balikbayan-privilege

I guess you get my drift... One thing to NOT forget... If you are the spouse, you have to enter with the person eligible for the BB stamp - not before and not later but at the same time!

[MikeB]

I have been looking for this exemption to the "1 year" rule in writing for a long time. Thanks, Bob.

"The Commissioner of Immigration Andrea D. Domingo informed the Department of Foreign Affairs on 4 June 2001 that, “All Immigration Officers at authorized ports of entry shall grant the benefits and privileges to all Balikbayan and former Filipinos included every time they enter the country to visit, regardless of their frequent travel”. This means that the above categories of persons could now avail of the Balikbayan benefits and privileges regardless of the number of times they enter the country within a year."

[Bundy]

Thankyou people for the information.From what i can see, no onward ticket is required for the balikbayan so far as entry into the Philippines goes but as Adventurer pointed out, it may be requested BEFORE you get to the Philippines.As it goes, i have a brand new passport for this trip too, with no stamps in it so i will bring my expired passport along as extra insurance, it has 8 balikbayan stamps in it so they can hardly say that i don't qualify.

As we are also travelling with Jetstar, i will give a report right here once we get to Cebu if only for the information to help others who may be in a similar situation.

Just as a sidenote, this will be the first time i will have entered the country on a one way ticket. The majority of my previous tickets have been "open" that is to say with a return paid but no date fixed.I have never at anytime been asked to produce my ticket, however i agree with MikeB. for the sake of $20 odd dollars, better to give yourself peace of mind.

[Mike S]

Interesting ..... now I have a good friend who came here in June of last year with his wife and received a BB stamp ..... when they went back in Sept he turned around in November and came back here by himself ..... they would not allow him to enter on his BB stamp but made him enter on a Tourist visa ...... she later came back in Dec. and was admitted as a BB with no problems ..... so I'm not real sure what the ruling is or how it is applied ..... or as like most things here in the Philippines it depends on the mood of the person doing the admitting ........... I was also under the impression that the BB stamp was not a multi-entry privilage but a one time a year only ..... no wonder it take a lawyer to figure out how to interrupt the laws here ....... and someone once told me "but the law is the law" .... yea ... sure it is ... just depends on how it is interrupted ..... IMHO .... :hystery: :hystery: :hystery:

[i am bob]

Interesting ..... now I have a good friend who came here in June of last year with his wife and received a BB stamp ..... when they went back in Sept he turned around in November and came back here by himself ..... they would not allow him to enter on his BB stamp but made him enter on a Tourist visa ...... she later came back in Dec. and was admitted as a BB with no problems ..... so I'm not real sure what the ruling is or how it is applied ..... or as like most things here in the Philippines it depends on the mood of the person doing the admitting ........... I was also under the impression that the BB stamp was not a multi-entry privilage but a one time a year only ..... no wonder it take a lawyer to figure out how to interrupt the laws here ....... and someone once told me "but the law is the law" .... yea ... sure it is ... just depends on how it is interrupted ..... IMHO .... :hystery: :hystery: :hystery:

Take another look Mike! They have to enter together for him to get the BB! Now if they let him in without her, that's a bonus but they are suppose to be together!

[Mike S]

Take another look Mike! They have to enter together for him to get the BB

DUH ........ sorry Bob ..... brain fart