Balikbayan Changes (11-27-2020)

[OnMyWay]

50 minutes ago, Eddie1 said:

This change on December 7th is about restarting the Balikbayan entry. Simplified, if you (foreigner) and your Filipino wife/husband arrive together you will be granted a Balikbayan Courtesy Entry valid for One Year, just as it was before Covid.

I gotta say, sometimes you guys can just be all over the place!  There was no need for this topic.  Shol started a topic on the Balikbayan restart last Friday.

You guys immediately thought this topic was about something else and immediately sidetracked onto SRRV, spouses coming back, etc., etc.

Thanks for the chuckle!  I don't mean any harm.  I'm guilty sometimes too!  

 

[Gator]

1 hour ago, TerryP said:

I'm not aware of any circumstances under which foreign spouses up till now have been able to return .......

A few members of our forum have already done it. Some with their spouses and at least one solo. All have provided excellent info on their journey. 

[Terry P]

1 minute ago, Gator said:

A few members of our forum have already done it. Some with their spouses and at least one solo. All have provided excellent info on their journey. 

I was barking up the wrong tree there gator my apologies. I'd read the latest bulletin which has repeated what you said happened in August but appeared to be new legislation

It didn't register with the limited grey matter in August because I'm single status

 

[graham59]

Balikbayan 'Privilege' has been re-started. That about sums it up I think...and yes, you need to arrive in the Phils on the same flight as your Mrs...as previously (with marriage cert in hand).   

[Jollygoodfellow]

PRESS RELEASE 
28 November 2020
BI to allow balikbayans to enter PH starting Dec. 7, clarifies scope of privileges
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced  on Saturday that they will be granting visa-free entry privileges to tourists falling under the Balikbayan Program starting December 7.
Balikbayans are former Filipinos and spouse and children of Filipinos or former Filipinos who are allowed visa-free entry under Executive Order No. 408, series of 1960.
BI Commissioner Jaime Morente discussed that the 1-year balikbayan privilege shall be given to foreign spouse and children of Filipinos who are traveling with them.
Entry shall also be granted to former Filipinos, including their spouse and children who should be traveling with them.
“Following the latest resolution of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), we have devised guidelines to guarantee the smooth implementation of the policy,” he added.
The policy requires inbound Balikbayan tourists to: (i) be from visa-free countries under Executive Order No. 408, s.1960; (ii) have a pre-booked quarantine facility; 
 (iii) have a pre-booked COVID-19 testing at a laboratory operating at the airport; and (iv) be subject to the maximum capacity of inbound passengers at the port and date of entry.
Morente further reminded that former Filipinos who wish to avail of the balikbayan privilege should present their old philippine passports or a copy of their birth certificate to the immigration officer upon arrival, while their spouses and children shall present their marriage certificates and birth certificates, respectively. He likewise recommends they queue together for easier verification and processing.
The Balikbayan Program as instituted by Republic Act 6768, amended by Republic Act 9174, was launched by the Philippine Government in 1989 to attract and encourage overseas Filipinos to come and visit their motherland. This is in recognition of their contribution to the economy of the country through the foreign exchange inflow and revenues that they generate.
Other travel restrictions for inbound passengers, according to the BI, remain in effect.

[baronapart]

I'll be testing this out after the first of the year. We were in the process of getting our documents together for the 9a. Thank goodness we won't have to do that now. 

[Joey G]

This is actually big to Philippines "tourism" in general... because besides expat's and foreign spouses/famiies, it opens up travel to all Balikbayan's who have not been able to travel there.... that's a pretty significant number of people. I'll be curious to see how the airlines handle it.... either adding flights and/or raising what are now super discounted prices. Might be time to lock in some tickets, even if further out.

[Jollygoodfellow]

2 hours ago, Joey G said:

either adding flights

From what I read flights are limited to a certain number in the Philippines so not sure if that number is already at capacity for daily flights. 

[scott h]

3 hours ago, Joey G said:

all Balikbayan's who have not been able to travel there.... that's a pretty significant number of people. I'll be curious to see how the airlines handle it.... either adding flights and/or raising what are now super discounted prices. Might be time to lock in some tickets, even if further out.

In my view, this wont affect "True Balikbayan's" (those who are citizens of foreign countries, but still have some ties here).

All my wifes 1st cousins (and their children and grand children) about 9 of them, as well as her brother, sister in law and nieces are all in the states along with many batchmates who are in the states and canada and australia. None of them have expressed any interest in visiting again until a vaccine is found and widely deployed here in the PI.

The main reason is the poor heath care here in the event something happens. The other big reason they have told her is the hassle of getting tested at the airport, then having to stay at a quarantine hotel. 

We have already gotten several requests to do "drive bys" of their family homes and make sure they are still in one piece 

[graham59]

From the BI Facebook page yesterday:

.

PRESS RELEASE

28 November 2020

BI to allow balikbayans to enter PH starting Dec. 7, clarifies scope of privileges

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced on Saturday that they will be granting visa-free entry privileges to tourists falling under the Balikbayan Program starting December 7.

Balikbayans are former Filipinos and spouse and children of Filipinos or former Filipinos who are allowed visa-free entry under Executive Order No. 408, series of 1960.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente discussed that the 1-year balikbayan privilege shall be given to foreign spouse and children of Filipinos who are traveling with them.

Entry shall also be granted to former Filipinos, including their spouse and children who should be traveling with them.

“Following the latest resolution of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), we have devised guidelines to guarantee the smooth implementation of the policy,” he added.

The policy requires inbound Balikbayan tourists to: (i) be from visa-free countries under Executive Order No. 408, s.1960; (ii) have a pre-booked quarantine facility;

(iii) have a pre-booked COVID-19 testing at a laboratory operating at the airport; and (iv) be subject to the maximum capacity of inbound passengers at the port and date of entry.

Morente further reminded that former Filipinos who wish to avail of the balikbayan privilege should present their old philippine passports or a copy of their birth certificate to the immigration officer upon arrival, while their spouses and children shall present their marriage certificates and birth certificates, respectively. He likewise recommends they queue together for easier verification and processing.

The Balikbayan Program as instituted by Republic Act 6768, amended by Republic Act 9174, was launched by the Philippine Government in 1989 to attract and encourage overseas Filipinos to come and visit their motherland. This is in recognition of their contribution to the economy of the country through the foreign exchange inflow and revenues that they generate.

Other travel restrictions for inbound passengers, according to the BI, remain in effect.