Balikbayan Visa Privilege

[Mr Lee]

For those who are married to Filipina's or Filipinos, or returning Filipino citizens, upon entry to the Philippines you are given a stamp in your passport BB which means balikbayan visa and you can stay a year at a time without any other visas. Be sure to ask the immigration person upon arrival for it and have a marriage license if both last names are not the same, or just to be safe.Edited to make Paul happy, Balikbayan Visa Privilege.

Edited October 5, 2008 by Mr. Lee

[paul]

Hi Lee,Unfortunately, this is a mistake that many people make. A Balikbayan "stamp" is not a visa, but a privilege for those entering the country (returning balikbayans or those married to Filipino Nationals), thus allowing them a one-year stay without having to pay any fees while doing so.HTH

[Mr Lee]

Hi Lee,Unfortunately, this is a mistake that many people make. A Balikbayan "stamp" is not a visa, but a privilege for those entering the country (returning balikbayans or those married to Filipino Nationals), thus allowing them a one-year stay without having to pay any fees while doing so.HTH

Paul, I know that it is not really a visa, per say but the govt themselves call it a Balikbayan Visa Privilege. Here is the link. (I hope this is OK for me to post? I would sure hate to get banned :as-if: )http://us.rpembassy.net/?p=8

[paul]

Hi Lee,But, that isn't what you stated:

For those who are married to Filipina's or Filipinos, or returning Filipino citizens, upon entry to the Philippines you are given a stamp in your passport BB which means balikbayan visa and you can stay a year at a time without any other visas. Be sure to ask the immigration person upon arrival for it and have a marriage license if both last names are not the same, or just to be safe.

I just wanted to make the correction, as it is a common mistake made when people post information regarding the various visas offered by the Philippines.No harm, no foul, man.

[Mr Lee]

Paul, I think we are talking semantics here. Balikbayan visa privildege is a visa since no other visa is needed for people who are married to returning Filipino's. Definition of visa http://www.thefreedictionary.com/visa An official authorization appended to a passport, permitting entry into and travel within a particular country or region 1. To endorse or ratify (a passport).2. To give a visa to. visa Nounan official stamp in a passport permitting its holder to travel into or through the country of the government issuing it [Latin: things seen] Appended http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/appended 1 : attach , affix 2 : to add as a supplement

[paul]

Here ya go: http://www.chanrobles.com/republicactno9174.htmlSpecifically look at section 3, item C, on Chan Robles Virtual Law Library:

Visa-free entry to the Philippines for a period of one (1) year for foreign passport holders, with the exception of restricted nationals;

Here is the image of a Balikbayan Stamp, from my friend Jim Sibbick's website, http://www.bigjimsphilippinesexperience.comInformation regarding it is on this page: http://www.bigjimsphilippinesexperience.co...sa_examples.htm

Returning Filipinos, their spouse and children are entitled to a Balikbayan stamp which allows them to stay 1 year without a visa. This is a picture of a passport with the balikbayan stamp. You can read the original Republican Act 6768 and the amended Republican Act 9174 regarding the Balikbayan programme

- By Jim SibbickThe next time you enter the Philippines, ask any Bureau of Immigration officer if the Balikbayan Privilege is a visa. They will tell you, "No."--------------------So, if you can't see it now, we will have to just agree to disagree. :as-if:

[Mr Lee]

Paul, I was just trying to do what I always have done on your forum, and that is help readers, :as-if: what they call it is so unimportant to me, as long as I and others get it stamped in our passport and can stay a year at a time upon entry without paying all those fees. As I said before, it is really a matter of semantics what you want to call it. I will eventually get an ACR or whatever once we move to the Philippines if necessary but we still plan on taking trips outside the PI often, so I may never need anything but the BB. BTW, thanks for helping me up my post count here. :lol: :lol: :lol:

[paul]

It is always okay to help others, Lee. We just have to provide others we help, with correct information. :as-if: No worries. Post counts don't mean anything, other than a person posts a lot. :P

[Mr Lee]

or provides info people can use. Correct info is a matter or interpretation. The info I provided was correct and nitpicking the name does not change the info. Balikbayan Visa or Balikbayan Visa privilege, 6 of one and a half dozen of the other. I have been asked at the immigration counter in the airports upon arrival into the Philippines by the authorities both men and women on numerous occasions if we wanted a Balikbayan Visa, so I guess you better go to all the airports and teach all of the personel that they are calling it the wrong name also.BTW, I was joking about post count Paul, did you not see the 3 laughing faces, I guess you do not understand sarcasm, as my last post in the mod section on your forum when I resigned as a moderator, was also sarcasm. or why else would I have said "adios" and I thought you knew me well enough by now to know that.I have posted info on this forum to help get it going and I would hope that others will do the same to help Tom.

[paul]

Dude, that is why I replied with smileys. Don't take things so personally on a forum. :P