Balikbayan Visa

[Gerald Glatt]

​Is it necessary for both you and spouse to be in country for balikbayan visa to  be valid?  If my wife returns to US for a month or two is my visa still valid? May I leave country to join her or may she return without me.   

[robert k]

Me, personally I would assume it is and not ask anyone at BI believing in this case that don't ask, don't tell is the best policy. :thumbsup:

Edited December 26, 2013 by robert k

[jpbago]

I would say that your BB visa would be valid if your wife returned to the USA alone and she could come to the PI alone with no problems but if you went to USA to join her then you both have to return together. As I understand it, the main criteria is that you and your wife are together when you arrive at the PI immigration.

[MikeB]

Gerald, the Balikbayan entry is a privilege, not a visa. According to the previous commissioner (since resigned) it gives you the same status as Tourist. I don't think it is any less valid if your wife temporarily leaves the country without you but I've never seen that question come up before. That would be a good question to ask the officer who writes the "BB" in your passport.

[Mike S]

Yes I believe you will be OK .... if your wife leaves and then comes back or should you decide to leave before then ..... how ever if you leave and she stays here and you decide to come back you will have to come back as a tourist and not a BB .... I know I had a friend that did that and he had to also get an ACR I card as he stayed for 5 more months after he got here ..... the funny thing was is that she left 1 month after he got back here .....  :hystery:  :hystery:  ..... ships in the night .... as in passing ....  :mocking: 

:cheersty:

[earthdome]

Do you need an onward ticket if you arrive with your wife to get the BB stamp?

[robert k]

Earthdome, I would have one or they might not let you on the plane. Call it cheap insurance against hassle. If I understand correctly, the BB priviledge is not 100% certain.

[MikeB]

According to the statute an onward ticket is not required for BB entry. But besides the fact that it's not 100% certain and you can't even request it until you are on Philippine soil, can you really expect a stressed-out foreign gate agent to be fully conversant with the intricacies of Philippine law? As above, cheap insurance. 

[JJReyes]

It is important for your wife to ask the Immigration officer to stamp your passport with BB. I had forgotten and the officer stamped mine with BB and a 21 Days Visa Waiver for my wife. Luckily, it didn't matter since our total stay was about two weeks.

[MacBubba]

I've never been asked for an onward ticked at Immigrations.  I thought it was up to the airline to check.