Balikbayan Privilege or 13A Permanent VISA?

[Ram1957]

5 hours ago, AlwaysRt said:

The Topic is Balikbayan Privilege or 13A Permanent VISA. THe financial question was in regards to the "Financial Capacity" requirement for applying for the 13A VISA, not one of the retirement VISAs.

Is there a "Financial Capacity" requirement for the 13A? According to the checklist there is no requirement for it. When I went for mine in June 2016 that never came up. I think before December 2015 there was a requirement for it and later was dropped. But like everything else here someone may be asked about it but there is no requirement for it in the current checklist.

http://www.immigration.gov.ph/images/FORMS/18Dec2015/BI FORM V-I-002-Rev 1.1.pdf

[jon1]

The SRRV Courtesy /Expanded Courtesy http://www.pra.gov.ph/main/srrv_program?page=1 is now available to US Military Retirees. I know of several people who have taken advantage of this. It allows them to stay without change should their spouse die before them. A 13A Visa is great until your spouse dies. Then you have to convert back to a Tourist Visa or SRRV.

[Dave Hounddriver]

41 minutes ago, jon1 said:

A 13A Visa is great until your spouse dies. Then you have to convert back to a Tourist Visa or SRRV

Interesting.  I knew you had to revert if the marriage broke up but this part is news to me.  Is this hearsay or do you have a link to the law?

[AlwaysRt]

2 hours ago, Ram1957 said:

I think before December 2015 there was a requirement for it and later was dropped. But like everything else here someone may be asked about it but there is no requirement for it in the current checklist.

Seems like that might be what is confusing me, looks like I had stumbled on an outdated list of requirements, Thanks!

1 hour ago, jon1 said:

A 13A Visa is great until your spouse dies. Then you have to convert back to a Tourist Visa or SRRV.

Never even considered this possibility. 

The SRRV expanded requires $1,500 deposit and "Proof of monthly pension or any other similar benefits of at least US$1,000.00" Does that mean what it says? "Proof" only or do they require the benefits be deposited into one of the authorized Philippine Banks?

Edited August 22, 2016 by AlwaysRt

[jon1]

1 hour ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Interesting.  I knew you had to revert if the marriage broke up but this part is news to me.  Is this hearsay or do you have a link to the law?

Here is all that I could find http://www.immigration.gov.ph/images/MemorandumCircular/MemoCircNo.SBM2014-009.pdf and had heard of this happening to someone. Can't confirm but it's a start in the research..

 

13 minutes ago, AlwaysRt said:

Seems like that might be what is confusing me, looks like I had stumbled on an outdated list of requirements, Thanks!

Never even considered this possibility. 

The SRRV expanded requires $1,500 deposit and "Proof of monthly pension or any other similar benefits of at least US$1,000.00" Does that mean what it says? "Proof" only or do they require the benefits be deposited into one of the authorized Philippine Banks?

I think if I remember correctly, you just have to show your proof of deposits from whatever Service you retired from (Philippine deposit of pension was not a requirement). I would imagine some kind of pay statement would suffice.

Edited August 22, 2016 by jon1

[Tukaram (Tim)]

4 hours ago, AlwaysRt said:

Back to the financial part of the topic. Does anyone else have experience with the 13A VISA Financial Capacity requirement? It is looking like it is the 13A version of the Balikbayan one year out of the country rule - something that is ignored by officials?

 

I do not know of any rules that state any financial requirements for a 13a. I just got mine last month, and he did ask how much I get monthly, but asked for no proof.  I never saw anything in the rules about finances so I was surprised he even asked.  I told him I get $800 USD a month and he was satisfied.

From reading the rules of the BB stamp the Filipino does have to remain out of the country for one year to qualify... but from everyone I have talked to about it... it is not followed. When we went to Hong Kong to get my BB stamp we were only there 4 days. It was my wife's first time out of the country. We got the BB stamp with no problem.  Since we had matching last names on our passports the immigration official did not even ask for our marriage license (but we had it with us). 

[Dave Hounddriver]

1 hour ago, Tukaram (Tim) said:

From reading the rules of the BB stamp the Filipino does have to remain out of the country for one year to qualify... but from everyone I have talked to about it... it is not followed.

From another forum:

Quote

The Commissioner of Immigration Andrea D. Domingo informed the Department of Foreign Affairs on 04 June 2001 that, "All Immigration Officers at authorised ports of entry shall grant the benefits and privileges to all Balikbayans 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.

I don't have a link that I can post due to the rules of this forum but if you search for that exact quote you will find multiple references to it.