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Is there a one year tourist visa?

 
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rioux



Joined: 26 Apr 2012
Posts: 880

PostPosted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 3:50 am    Post subject: Is there a one year tourist visa? Reply with quote

I know the tourist visa is for 60 days but I heard that if a foreigner marries a person from the Philippines they can apply for a 1 year tourist visa.

Has anyone heard about this?
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suphanburi



Joined: 20 Mar 2014
Posts: 916

PostPosted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 11:35 am    Post subject: Re: Is there a one year tourist visa? Reply with quote

rioux wrote:
I know the tourist visa is for 60 days but I heard that if a foreigner marries a person from the Philippines they can apply for a 1 year tourist visa.

Has anyone heard about this?


It's not a visa. It is a visa free entry with a 1-year allowed period of stay.

If you are "married to" AND "entering the country with" your Philippine spouse then you get a 1-year balikbayan entry as you go through passport control. There is nothing to apply for. It is automatic.

The spouse MUST enter with you. You can't just do a quick flight to somewhere and back and claim balikbayan status.

The Balikbayan stamp is NOT extendable. At the end of the year you MUST exit the country.

There ARE some restrictions. To remain legal you MUST be with your spouse - you can't just skip around the country like a butterfly and leave your spouse at home.

.
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rioux



Joined: 26 Apr 2012
Posts: 880

PostPosted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 3:51 am    Post subject: Re: Is there a one year tourist visa? Reply with quote

Thanks

1). Is there a link about this?
2). So in order for me to get another year after that my wife also has to exit the Philippines but must return with me to the Philippines. Correct? (I have no problem staying with her, and only her, during the year stay there).
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suphanburi



Joined: 20 Mar 2014
Posts: 916

PostPosted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 12:40 pm    Post subject: Re: Is there a one year tourist visa? Reply with quote

rioux wrote:
Thanks

1). Is there a link about this?
2). So in order for me to get another year after that my wife also has to exit the Philippines but must return with me to the Philippines. Correct? (I have no problem staying with her, and only her, during the year stay there).


1) yes, google "balikbayan stamp requirements".

I do stand corrected in that it is extendable (in the past it was not for foreign nationals).

2) she doesn't have to "exit" (she is a citizen) but you need her on your arm when you return through passport control to avail of the balikbayan privilage. Proof of marriage in and of itself won't work (you get a 21-day entry). Note #4.

http://www.immigration.gov.ph/index.php/faqs/visa-inquiry/balikbayan-previlege

1. Who are eligible under Balikbayan Program?

a. A Balikbayan, who may be either one of the following:

i. A Filipino citizen who has been continuously out of the Philippines for a period of at least one (1) year;

ii. A Filipino overseas worker;

iii. A former Filipino citizen and his family who had been naturalized in a foreign country and comes or returns to the Philippines.

b. Immediate family members (spouse and children) of the Balikbayan, who are nationals of countries falling under EO 408, travelling together with the Balikbayan.

2. Who are not entitled to the Balikbayan privilege?

Former Filipinos and their immediate family members (spouse and children) who are visa-required nationals (nationals of countries NOT listed under EO 408). They must secure entry visas prior to their travel to the Philippines.

3. What are the privileges of a Balikbayan?

Those who are admitted as Balikbayans are given an initial stay of one (1) year. They may extend their stay for another one (1), two (2) or six (6) months provided that they present their valid passport and filled out the visa extension form and submit it to the Visa Extension Section in the BI Main Office or any BI Offices nationwide. An additional requirement will be ask for Balikbayans who have stayed in the Philippines after thirty six (36) months.

4. Can a foreigner spouse or child of a Balikbayan avail this privilege when traveling to the Philippines alone?



A foreign national spouse and/or child of a Balikbayan may only be given the said privilege if he/she is traveling with his/her Balikbayan spouse or parent.



.
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rioux



Joined: 26 Apr 2012
Posts: 880

PostPosted: Sun Jan 11, 2015 12:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you for the information.
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jimpellow



Joined: 12 Oct 2007
Posts: 913

PostPosted: Sun May 24, 2015 6:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

rioux wrote:
Thank you for the information.


Actually, my memory is a little hazy as I have been out of the country a bit, but there is another way - at least for Americans. It is along the lines of getting hold of your lease and a police criminal check from your local Barangay. Then when you are in America you send or go to the Filipino embassy and they will give you a year, pretty much free! Don't quote me on the specifics, but I know of this from a couple people who had their act together on the subject and as human beings. Had to mention that last part as some interesting types running around.
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suphanburi



Joined: 20 Mar 2014
Posts: 916

PostPosted: Tue May 26, 2015 11:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You might be thinking about the non immigrant 13a visa for the spouse of a Philippine citizen (if it was longer than 60 days and applied from from outside of the Philippines).

.
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jimpellow



Joined: 12 Oct 2007
Posts: 913

PostPosted: Tue May 26, 2015 4:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

suphanburi wrote:
You might be thinking about the non immigrant 13a visa for the spouse of a Philippine citizen (if it was longer than 60 days and applied from from outside of the Philippines).

.


If you are referring to my post, I am not. You can be a swinging single and get it. It seems to be a back door so to say. I am positive it existed, and still probabaly does. I really think you would be hard pressed to find anything official about it. When I was living in Cebu the office in the city was clueless about it, but the manager of the Mactan Island office at the time was very knowledgable about it.

Going through the greying memory banks, I definitely met one foreigner who had one, and remember speaking with a foreigner who owned a visa agency who confirmed that it existed and the basics of how to obtain one.
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waltgomez



Joined: 03 Jul 2014
Posts: 105

PostPosted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 11:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

jimpellow wrote:
suphanburi wrote:
You might be thinking about the non immigrant 13a visa for the spouse of a Philippine citizen (if it was longer than 60 days and applied from from outside of the Philippines).

.


If you are referring to my post, I am not. You can be a swinging single and get it. It seems to be a back door so to say. I am positive it existed, and still probabaly does. I really think you would be hard pressed to find anything official about it. When I was living in Cebu the office in the city was clueless about it, but the manager of the Mactan Island office at the time was very knowledgable about it.

Going through the greying memory banks, I definitely met one foreigner who had one, and remember speaking with a foreigner who owned a visa agency who confirmed that it existed and the basics of how to obtain one.


Apparently such visas exist- and are obtained thru corrupt officials, but they are illegal by law. If someone complains about you, and the immigration follows up, you can be in hot soup.

One guy I knew got a visa like that, but he was on bad terms with his GF. She reported him to la Migra, and he was deported.

From what I hear, there is a 6 month tourist visa now which can be obtained in Manila thru some big travel agency. It costs some $400. Then, just fly out and come back. Any time you go beyond 6 months, you need to get clearances ( exit visas to all intents and purposes, that is).

A big headache.
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jimpellow



Joined: 12 Oct 2007
Posts: 913

PostPosted: Tue Jun 14, 2016 12:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

waltgomez wrote:
jimpellow wrote:
suphanburi wrote:
You might be thinking about the non immigrant 13a visa for the spouse of a Philippine citizen (if it was longer than 60 days and applied from from outside of the Philippines).

.


If you are referring to my post, I am not. You can be a swinging single and get it. It seems to be a back door so to say. I am positive it existed, and still probabaly does. I really think you would be hard pressed to find anything official about it. When I was living in Cebu the office in the city was clueless about it, but the manager of the Mactan Island office at the time was very knowledgable about it.

Going through the greying memory banks, I definitely met one foreigner who had one, and remember speaking with a foreigner who owned a visa agency who confirmed that it existed and the basics of how to obtain one.


Apparently such visas exist- and are obtained thru corrupt officials, but they are illegal by law. If someone complains about you, and the immigration follows up, you can be in hot soup.

One guy I knew got a visa like that, but he was on bad terms with his GF. She reported him to la Migra, and he was deported.

From what I hear, there is a 6 month tourist visa now which can be obtained in Manila thru some big travel agency. It costs some $400. Then, just fly out and come back. Any time you go beyond 6 months, you need to get clearances ( exit visas to all intents and purposes, that is).

A big headache.


I am not referring to that either. I am familiar with that route. I had people in Cebu who offered it to me, and I knew of the potential for trouble of which you speak. You also needed in this case to leave the country via Mactan Airport, as the officials shared the proceeds on it.

The one I speak of is as described above. The first person found out through the manager of the Mactan Island immigration office. The second was the well connected visa service owner. They both described the process exactly alike.

This was more than two years back, so I cannot say if it is still a viable option.

This was a legal route, and probably a remnant from past days when the US was overtly pulling the strings in PI. A similar "secret" route still exists for Americans to work in Germany, as a remnant of the post WW2 days.
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