BI Rules on Balikbayan Privileges

[JJReyes]

My wife and I would enter the Philippines as Balikbayans.  Didn't have to ask for the privilege.  The BI officer would notice "Philippines" as place of birth on my US passport and he stamped Balikbayans.  A cousin informed me I would now need proof of former citizenship such as a birth certificate or an old Philippine passport.  Proof that we are married requires a copy of our marriage certificate.  Is this true?

US immigration today is wonderful.  We applied for a Global Entry Card.  The cost is $100 each.  No more lines at immigration.  You simply stand in front of a machine for a facial scan.  The machine gives you a receipt to show an officer and to bypass customs.  You don't have to show a passport or the Global Entry Card.  This is supposedly the future so as to reduce personnel and airport congestion. 

[BrettGC]

9 minutes ago, JJReyes said:

 

US immigration today is wonderful.  We applied for a Global Entry Card.  The cost is $100 each.  No more lines at immigration.  You simply stand in front of a machine for a facial scan.  The machine gives you a receipt to show an officer and to bypass customs.  You don't have to show a passport or the Global Entry Card.  This is supposedly the future so as to reduce personnel and airport congestion. 

Same in Australia now. Just scan your bio page in the automated machine, look at the camera and you're done.  No contact with a customs officer at all.  They're observing only.  No extra cost through as with the system you described.

[Jollygoodfellow]

4 hours ago, JJReyes said:

Proof that we are married requires a copy of our marriage certificate.  Is this true?

Yes its meant to be a requirement

4 hours ago, JJReyes said:

A cousin informed me I would now need proof of former citizenship such as a birth certificate or an old Philippine passport.

Who would know from one day to the next. Best to bring them if you have them.  

[Jollygoodfellow]

4 hours ago, BrettGC said:

No contact with a customs officer at all.  They're observing only.  No extra cost through as with the system you described.

You mean immigration officer?  Depends on how old ones passport is. If I recall correctly when GF and I came back 3 years ago she was able to just use the machine to enter.

[BrettGC]

1 hour ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

You mean immigration officer?  Depends on how old ones passport is. If I recall correctly when GF and I came back 3 years ago she was able to just use the machine to enter.

I know it was working on my last passport which expired in 2019, so passports going back to 2009 work.  If it has the little "chip" symbol, I suspect it will work.  I'm talking entry into Australia, so immigration/customs/Border Force officer.  JJ was talking entry to the US. 

Edited July 20, 2022 by BrettGC

[Gas]

10 hours ago, BrettGC said:

Same in Australia now. Just scan your bio page in the automated machine, look at the camera and you're done.  No contact with a customs officer at all.  They're observing only.  No extra cost through as with the system you described.

Only for certain nationalities. We entered and exited Australia this month and I was allowed to scan my British passport but my wife (Philippine passport ) still had to queue up and speak to immigration official. 
On entering the Philippines it was my turn to queue up and she just scanned her passport. 

[hk blues]

15 hours ago, JJReyes said:

US immigration today is wonderful. 

Words I never thought I would ever read. 

[JJReyes]

I believe the new technology in use by US Immigration is still at a trial stage.  The group given the privilege are holders of the Global Entry Card because they have been vetted by the government.  In addition to a digital application and fee payment ($100), there was a face-to-face interview with a US Homeland Security officer.  You merely stand for 3 seconds for a facial recognition scan.  That's it.  No need to show a passport.  The immigration agent nearby assists passengers whom the machine rejects. 

We have cruises scheduled this September and October.  Our travel agent informed us we don't need to bring a passport since the only foreign port is Mexico.  My wife and I will bring them just in case.  Anyway, the goal is no need for passports and passport checks for vetted citizens.  The eventual goal might be no more passports needed for citizens of countries with a reciprocal agreement.  

[Viking]

18 hours ago, JJReyes said:

Anyway, the goal is no need for passports and passport checks for vetted citizens.  The eventual goal might be no more passports needed for citizens of countries with a reciprocal agreement.  

That may sound great, but this is what have caused big problems in the European Union. Criminal people roaming around, crossing borders with no way of keeping track of them.

[JJReyes]

8 hours ago, Viking said:

That may sound great, but this is what have caused big problems in the European Union. Criminal people roaming around, crossing borders with no way of keeping track of them.

The European Union has extremely porous borders.  We have a similar problem with undocumented immigrants crossing from the southern border.  The advantage of facial recognition technology is to quickly process those who are not a security risk.  Immigration officers could then concentrate on others.  During our last cruise starting from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, we visited 8 European ports without ever showing our passports.  We were in Schengen countries 6 weeks before the passports were stamped in Greece upon our exit.