Balikbayan Renewal

[Tukaram (Tim)]

9 hours ago, AlwaysRt said:

Those who are admitted as Balikbayans are given an initial stay of one (1) year. They may extend their stay for another one (1), two (2) or six (6) months provided that they present their valid passport and filled out the visa extension form and submit it to the Visa Extension Section in the BI Main Office or any BI Offices nationwide. An additional requirement will be ask for Balikbayans who have stayed in the Philippines after thirty six (36) months.

I just went through this a few months ago. Immigration says that the extension they are referring to is the tourist visa... It is very poorly worded - as many of their laws are.  The last sentence talks about a balikbayan who stays 36 months.  After 1 year, if you convert it to a tourist visa,  you are not really on a balikbayan. so why word it like that? They never specifically mention converting the BB stamp to another type of stay. The way it is worded you get a 1 year BB stamp, and can extend it, looks like up to 36 months.  That is not what they mean, though. I think one of the main reasons so many offices have their own interpretation of the rules here is that so many laws are very poorly worded.

[scott h]

9 minutes ago, Tukaram (Tim) said:

It is very poorly worded - as many of their laws are.

Tim is sooooooooo right. One thing that I have learned that not only are laws worded strangely but often the words they use don't always mean what we think they do.

A caution to all who get advice here, remember YOUR MILAGE MAY VARY . Double and triple check everything.

[i am bob]

definitely converts to a tourist visa after 1 year...  i found it long ago but only on a philipines embassy site in what country i don't remember...  one other thing they don't mention clearly...  the 36 months?  it's 36 months total bb and tourist visa and then, if staying, convert to one of the many visas available for married couples...  don't want to convert?  out you go and come back again as a bb or tourist...

[Nutz2U2]

Hi

We came without any visas. Sherry was the returning Filipino. Straight in showing marriage certificate.

Got BB stamped. Voila.

[i am bob]

2 minutes ago, Nutz2U2 said:

Hi

We came without any visas. Sherry was the returning Filipino. Straight in showing marriage certificate.

Got BB stamped. Voila.

 

yup...  as long as you can show the marriage cert and state you are getting a bb on arrival, no return flight is required...  of course, it's always a good idea to have a printout of the government memorandum stating this as it's the airlines that will reject you for not having the return flight...  sometimes they aren't aware...