My Tib Bit Of Info On The Balikbayan Stamp

[Art2ro]

The following categories of persons can avail of the Balikbayan privilege: (a) a Filipino citizen who has been continuously out of the Philippines for a period of at least one (1) year from the date of last departure; (b) a Filipino overseas worker (OFW); © a former Filipino citizen who had been naturalized in a foreign country and holds a foreign passport"I think the question that UZI is asking is wheather catagory "A" citizens have to be out of the PI for at least a year to qualify a Balikbayan. There is not much question about catagory b and c having multiple entry but I can see where he would be concerned about catagory "a" people having the same privilage at "b" and "c". It seems that they would not be able to have multiple entry within a years time because they would have to have been out of the country for a year to quailify. Doug and Sally

Doug,Don't be confused! This is not a controversial issue, but a cut and dry definition of what the Balikbayan Program is all about. Understand that the (1) one year restriction only pertains to Filipinos only that are abroad which ever country they are residing in and who holds Philippine passports. Just reread our posts a few more times and you will see the light! Lee and I have given you all the current facts in our posts without putting any doubts in peoples minds! The facts and our combined experiences speak for themselves! We are here to clarity things whatever it may be in order to help others! Edited June 25, 2010 by Pinoy Art

[stef]

the way i see it is this a Filipino citizens , ofw can come and go from the country as much as they like the balikbayan stamp is only in regards to there foreign partners /kids .a former Filipino citizen may get the stamp if they wish to stay up to one year. the statement about a Filipino citizen only being able to get the stamp again after being out of the country for 1 year is again for there family this is i believe to stop foreign partners /kids being able to live here indefinitely by avoiding BOI fee's by just exiting the country and flying straight back in.

[Art2ro]

The way i see it is this a Filipino citizens , ofw can come and go from the country as much as they like the balikbayan stamp is only in regards to there foreign partners /kids .A former Filipino citizen may get the stamp if they wish to stay up to one year. The statement about a Filipino citizen only being able to get the stamp again after being out of the country for 1 year is again for there family this is i believe to stop foreign partners /kids being able to live here indefinitely by avoiding BOI fee's by just exiting the country and flying straight back in.

IMHO the reason for the (1) one year restriction imposed on the average Filipino with only a Philippine passport and has a multiple entry visa is this, it may be a temptation for them to use the Balikbayan Program as a front for a black marketing scheme undermining the Philippine economy when they can profit from the duty free (tax exempt) privileges under the guise of the Balikbayan Program. Black marketing in the Philippines was big business during the 60s up until the American bases were dismantled after the treaty expired and all the bases were relinquished to the Philippine Government in 1991 I beleive, or just after the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. Even though the duty free purchase privilege is only allowed once a year, just think if there were hundreds and thousands of Filipinos in a black market syndicate with passports with multiple entry visas, just imagine what those thousands can purchase and profit within just one year and I'm sure millions of OFWs do just that for their own personal gain once a year to defray the cost of their round trip tickets and expenses or to stock up their sari-sari stores while on their vacation in the Philippines. And airfare to other Asian countries are cheap too! They save a lot and gain big! Well, that's just MHO for what it's worth. Edited June 25, 2010 by Pinoy Art

[UZI]

The following categories of persons can avail of the Balikbayan privilege: (a) a Filipino citizen who has been continuously out of the Philippines for a period of at least one (1) year from the date of last departure; (b) a Filipino overseas worker (OFW); © a former Filipino citizen who had been naturalized in a foreign country and holds a foreign passport"I think the question that UZI is asking is wheather catagory "A" citizens have to be out of the PI for at least a year to qualify a Balikbayan. There is not much question about catagory b and c having multiple entry but I can see where he would be concerned about catagory "a" people having the same privilage at "b" and "c". It seems that they would not be able to have multiple entry within a years time because they would have to have been out of the country for a year to quailify. :) Doug and Sally

Doug,Don't be confused! This is not a controversial issue, but a cut and dry definition of what the Balikbayan Program is all about. Understand that the (1) one year restriction only pertains to Filipinos only that are abroad which ever country they are residing in and who holds Philippine passports. Just reread our posts a few more times and you will see the light! Lee and I have given you all the current facts in our posts without putting any doubts in peoples minds! The facts and our combined experiences speak for themselves! We are here to clarity things whatever it may be in order to help others!

:cool_beans: by this reply. It appears to confirm my original question.This statement though is incorrect :

Understand that the (1) one year restriction only pertains to Filipinos only that are abroad which ever country they are residing in

It has nothing to do with residence. The definition is - who has been continuously out of the Philippines for a period of at least one (1) year from the date of last departureLet's put forward a hypothetical scenario:British guy flies to Philippines & marries his sweetheart. He then returns to the UK to work & she remains here. He returns 3 months later to Hong Kong where his wife joins him for the day and they then fly into Manila together.So, DOES HE GET HIS PASSPORT STAMPED? Was he entitled to get his passport stamped?If the answer is NO - then that confirms that Expats cannot jump out with their wife & back in to get the stamp in less than 12 months. If the answer is Yes, I return to my original question, where is the LEGAL ruling that supports it.It has nothing to do with the other privileges & benefits such as buying chocolate at duty free prices but more to do with what STEF commented:

the statement about a Filipino citizen only being able to get the stamp again after being out of the country for 1 year is again for there family this is i believe to stop foreign partners /kids being able to live here indefinitely by avoiding BOI fee's by just exiting the country and flying straight back in.

Uzi Edited June 26, 2010 by UZI

[Art2ro]

I thought that this topic has been clarified and end of discussion! Let's not get hung up on this one year restriction criteria, because a Filipino is not a foreigner holding a non Filipino passport in the first place like you have mentioned in your Scenario, a Brit as an example, which is really out there in left field mate! Can't you comprehend that this category is just meant for Filipinos only! Filipinos only! Filipinos only! Filipinos only! Filipinos only! and just an amendment to the existing rules and regulations already set forth under the Balibayaban Program? The following categories of persons can avail of the Balikbayan privilege: (a) a Filipino citizen (it doesn't say Brit or Foreigner here)who has been continuously out of the Philippines for a period of at least one (1) year from the date of last departure; (b) a Filipino overseas worker (OFW);© a former Filipino citizen who had been naturalized in a foreign country and holds a foreign passport.Note: Where it mentions, Foreigners married to their Filipino spouses is in a category in itself stated in the original RA 6768 if anyone would be curious to look, it's there and not here on this amendment, because this only pertains to Filipinos only! So, don't you say that my statement of the fact is incorrect which it is not, because it is there to be read by all and I didn't make that up! You're just misinterpretation what you are reading and twisting the facts! So until you admit that you are incorrect will this discussion end! I'm getting tired explaining the facts which is all there for anyone to read in the last place! I'm done with this topic! :):horse::cool_beans::horse::welcome-19::horse::horse::horse:

Edited June 26, 2010 by Pinoy Art

[Mr Lee]

OK guys, I have invited Tom from Texas to this thread and maybe he can read it and clarify what it says according to a lawyer (him) and end all this discussion and hopefully make everyone happy. Let us wait to see if he will rule on this.     :)

[UZI]

OK guys, I have invited Tom from Texas to this thread and maybe he can read it and clarify what it says according to a lawyer (him) and end all this discussion and hopefully make everyone happy. Let us wait to see if he will rule on this. :)

Great Lee,All this blinkered attention to

Filipinos only! Filipinos only! Filipinos only! Filipinos only! Filipinos only!

The question is & always has been about what this FORUM is called PHILIPPINES EXPAT.I can read & so can everyone else what my question is. It does not need the OP to constantly ignore it to to keep :cool_beans: and bullying members from asking valid questions even if he doesn't understand it. This is an interesting topic that has been read almost 300 times and warrants a serious answer to a serious question not an off hand dismissal.So please Tom, I look forward to your POV & opinion on the Hypothetical scenario I posed (whether the person is British or American is irrelevant only that he is a 'Family Member' of the Filipino) that the OP can wait before replying also.ThanksUzi.

[Jollygoodfellow]

This is a confusing topic bit what I think the problem here is the very first post from Art is about Filipinos,not foreigners.Then UZI has changed the actual subject to balikbayan visa for the spouse of a Filipino.Correct me if I'm wrong.

[UZI]

This is a confusing topic bit what I think the problem here is the very first post from Art is about Filipinos,not foreigners.Then UZI has changed the actual subject to balikbayan visa for the spouse of a Filipino.Correct me if I'm wrong.

Boss Man,The actual topic is about the Balikbayan stamp but you are entirely correct in what I have been asking :):cool_beans::welcome-19:

[Art2ro]

UZI's question was constantly about the one (1) year restriction criteria, continuously out of the Philippines for a year or more and is meant only for Filipinos and not foreigners! Why is it so difficult to comprehend this when it's written in black and white? It doesn't take an Einstein to figure all this out! It doesn't pertain to foreigners in this particular category in the first place and if did, then all foreigners too would not be able to get the BB stamp if they entered the Philippines within a year from their last departure date, but all the other categories would and can get the BB stamp regardless of their frequent travels to the Philippines within a year and it states that fact in the original RA 6768 last paragraph because that's one of the benefits under the BB Program. The RA 6768 memorandum dated July 1, 2008 is just an amendment and has no mention of foreigners at all, but of only the 3 categories mentioning Filipinos only and nothing in there about foreigners because their specific category has already been established in the original RA 6768 dated Nov 1989 and July 2001!In ending this discussion, I have but one quick and simple no nonsense question for anyone to answer; Do foreigners fit in category (a)? The answer is a definite NO! So why put a scenario in there about a Brit and his family that doesn't apply here? Foreigners married to their Filipino spouses have their own category and it surely isn't item (a) meant for Filipinos only! So, why is it so difficult to comprehend this, it's printed in black and white? I didn't make all this up!The following categories of persons can avail of the Balikbayan privilege: This is just an amendment to the existing laws and regulation to the BB Program under RA 6768. (a) a Filipino citizen (it doesn't say Brit or Foreigner here)who has been continuously out of the Philippines for a period of at least one (1) year from the date of last departure; (b) a Filipino overseas worker (OFW);© a former Filipino citizen who had been naturalized in a foreign country and holds a foreign passport.

Edited June 26, 2010 by Pinoy Art