"Lightning" move

[Perla]

Thanks Dave!

[Jack Peterson]

Just to Add here my Friends;

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

[mogo51]

7 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Agreed.  That is what the BB is all about.  @Perla will have a passport to show place of birth as Philippines and so long as they both have the same last name or have a marriage certificate then he gets a free year.  At least that's the way it works for everyone else 

EDIT:  But it would be a great idea to come with a return ticket for her husband "just in case".  That way he still qualifies for the free 30 days, even if immigration is having a bad day.

The return ticket is not the issue at Philippine end.  I  would not have got out of Thailand recently unless I had a throw away (same as return ticket for the purpose).

I  was not even asked at the Philippine end.

[Gary D]

4 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

We (many of us) believe it does, due to the fact she was born in Philippines and that fact will show on her passport.  But there is no harm in asking as it is freely given on arrival so ask, and if they say no then get the free 30 days (but they have no reason to say no).

It is unlikely that you will be asked in the Philippines, it's the airline that gets fined so getting past check-in is the hard bit.

[Perla]

Departing for the Philippines tomorrow.

Please, keep your fingers crossed that we can enter with a balikbayan visa.

Have a nice weekend everyone!

Perla & 'Mike the Fritz'

[Dave Hounddriver]

22 minutes ago, Perla said:

Please, keep your fingers crossed that we can enter with a balikbayan visa.

I am confident you will, and that's a free year   Be sure to write here and tell us how it went.

[RBM]

On 11/9/2017 at 8:45 AM, scott h said:

 

First quote is the key here IMO, it appears she will not be with him upon initial entry. Therefore BB unless he sweet talks the immigration folks I believe all he can get is a tourist visa.

Having said that, it might be worth a try to do it in proxy, just like getting baptism certificates for ofws or Turing on and off utilities for absent relatives. Have a certified letter asking for a BB visa, marriage certificate, birth certificate showing Filipine birth, her plane ticket showing she means to join him. Its a long shot, but stranger things have happened, this is the Philippines after all 

Not trying  to put a dampened on these comments how ever advise caution. Was told by an immigration officer whom is a friend of mine where a kindly officer gave an ex pat a BB although his wife was not with him. 

Apparently upon exit, being alone he managed to upset an officer when asked where is wife was. Supposedly after a verbal slinging match immigration produced the flight manifesto of his arriving flight to find ......yup no wife. 

Sorry do not know end result but suspect was expensive. This would be extremely rare how ever worth consideration. Do know for sure the officer whom gave the BB was demoted and no longer allowed to stamp passports.

[davewe]

3 hours ago, Perla said:

Departing for the Philippines tomorrow.

Please, keep your fingers crossed that we can enter with a balikbayan visa.

Have a nice weekend everyone!

Perla & 'Mike the Fritz'

This sounds dumb but your wife must remember to ask for the BB Privilege. A friend of mine recently went through immigration with his wife. They showed their marriage license. They assumed all was good till later when they looked at their visa stamp and it wasn't the BB. My guess is the immigration guy either made a mistake or the wife did not specify she was requesting the BB Privilege.

Edited November 10, 2017 by davewe

[Perla]

Thank y'all for your kind & most useful advice!

Will do as advised, and report our experience!

Bye for now!

Philippines here we come!

[Gary D]

The BB stamp is not a special stamp just the normal imigration stamp with the expiry date 1 year on.