Balikbayan Visa extending beyond one year

Hello. I am new to the forum, so please forgive me if this topic has already been covered. My Balikbayan Visa privilege is about to 'expire', as I have already been in the country for almost one year. I would like to extend my time in the country for another 2 months, before we are able to make a visa run. Can someone please tell me what the actual fees would be for a 2 month extension? Is this effectively the same as 'converting' to a tourist visa? Many thanks for any help!

 

Hi David,

I'll be initially on a 1 year balik visa when I retire, and from my understanding, you can extend every year by simply leaving the country with your asawa, and coming back in with her. That is going to extend it for another year.

Although this would probably cost more than paying fee's to extend the normal way, it's just something I figured I'd share since those are my plans. A quick trip to vietnam or some other close by country like thailand will probably cost you about 200 round trip via cebu pacific air.

 

Technically (but an unimportant point) you do NOT have to leave with your wife - but 100% must re-enter with her and she should be the one to ask for the BB, as it is a privilege and not a Visa.

I have popped off to HCMC, Vietnam, for that purpose - but be VERY careful of an airport taxi scam there where you are pointed to a taxi and the driver asks for small change for the airport 'exit fee' - he knows people will look for the money and he may grab the cash from your hand (in our case it was from my wife's hand, who was behind him in the back of the taxi, and as soon as I realised I told her immediately to take it back) and when it is returned he will have removed a note or two. He is obviously well trained in this 'sleight of hand' and the police must be aware of it (as after this happened I checked the internet and found it was very common) but seem to do nothing - it would be very easy in a military country to stop it overnight.

I learned to use Vinasun taxis and no other.

 

Thanks for the tip! Question though.. if you enter using the filipino passport of your wife, and then you leave the year after, you must pay the airport tax since you came in on a filipino passport correct?

 

You would NOT come in on a Filipino passport as you enter on your own passport. The BB is given as you are the spouse of a returning Filipino (it is complicated as it seems to state the spouse must have been away a year or more but that never seems to be how it is applied). Obviously you MUST leave before the 1 year expires - I go about 2 weeks before - OR must convert to a Tourist Visa (again BEFORE your BB expires) but no exit clearance is required (is this what you meant when you stated 'no airport tax'?).

I have found that I was unable to open a bank account or to convert my driver's licence with a BB - I did not persist as my wife takes care of both of those and, anyway, I have little interest in driving here.

 

I believe there is a tax you have to pay when you leave manila to go back to the States, or any other country. It was about 1500 pesos per person, and I've only had to do that the one time I came in with my wife, using her filipino passport. We basically entered into the Philippines using her passport to get the 1 year stamp as we were staying for 2 months. Every other time we came in using our american passports, and haven't had to pay any exit fee. I'm not sure the exact name of that tax unfortunately.

Even if I came in on my own US passport, the fact that I entered with my Filipino wife using her passport, that grants me 1 year stay with the balik stamp correct?

 

Thanks for your reply. Mai Linh has also been very reputable for us.

 

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.

 

Thanks for your reply. I'm having a great deal of difficulty determining the actual fee due to the Bureau of Immigration if I were to 'convert' to a tourist visa and extend my time in the Philippines for another 2 months to a total of 14 months.