A question on the Balik Bayan Stamp

I'm going to get married to a Filipina and have 2 Brit kids who live with me. I've read that I can get a Balik Bayan Stamp free to extend my stay in the PH for a year once I'm married.

What about my kids? Can they get a Balik Bayan Stamp too?

Dom is absolutely correct: the stamp is called "Balikbayan Privilege" and it will be your wife who requests this at the immigration desk in the arrivals hall. In addition to your passport, she must show an original NSO marriage certificate OR an original marriage certificate issued elsewhere but authenticated by the Philippine Embassy in the country you wed.

You don't say how old your children are but if they are very young, then it is possible they can be included in the Privilege; much depends on the discretion of the immigration officer.

For all intents and purposes, those on Balikbayan Privileges are treated almost the same as visitors and may not work or attend schools or colleges. The only differences being that Balikbayans do not get issued with ACR Cards - and therefore should carry their Passports which will be their only acceptable means of identification to the authorities - and, of course, they do not need to obtain extensions of stay.

But I'm not married yet - I'll be getting married in the Philippines. So can I get the Balik Bayan Stamp after I get married? Even though my wife is not entering the country as she's already there?

No.
It's only available at entry to Philippines

Balikbayan Privilege

Upon representation of the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Tourism adopted a liberal interpretation of the Balikbayan Law to benefit all the balikbayan.

No visa shall be required, as a privilege, for maximum stay of one (1) year for the following, everytime they enter the country to visit, regardless of the frequency of their travel:
1.Former Filipino citizens (specifically Filipinos who have been naturalized British or Irish citizens) and their families
2.Filipino citizens (Filipino passports holders) and their families
3.Filipino overseas workers

The traveller has to declare before the Philippine Immigration Officer at the port of entry that he/she is availing of the said privilege and has to present his/her current British or Irish passport plus any of the following documents:
1.cancelled Philippine passport or birth certificate
2.naturalization paper to show former Philippine citizenship or
3.certification from adopted country

This privilege is extended to families of former Filipino citizens and families of Filipino citizens (i.e. foreign spouse and minor unmarried children) provided
1.that the latter are not required entry visas under existing regulations and
2.that they are travelling together with the balikbayan spouse to the Philippines.

The family member should present at the Philippine port of entry the following:
1.valid passport
2.marriage certificate in case of the spouse
3.birth certificates in the case of minor children or
4.adoption papers in the case of adopted children.

Source:-
http://philembassy-uk.org/consular-matters/balikbayan-privilege

Personally, we've never had our marriage certificate authenticated by the Philippine Embassy.
Never had any issue on that.

None of our friends have had their marriage certificates authenticated either.

Markham, what's the source of this authentication regulation ??

There has been a lot of fake BB`s issued over the last couple of years to Foreigners that are not married here.. The stamp now no longer has the letters BB on it and all legitimate stamps are all now recorded on the B.I computer system.

It is simply a sensible precaution and almost certainly would be required if applying for a residency visa during the validity of the BB stamp. The Philippines is not a signatory to the Hague Convention with regard to (legal) government documents and therefore there is no requirement for an immigration official to accept, say, a certificate of marriage issued in the UK that has not been authenticated by the Philippine Embassy. (Similarly documents that have not been authenticated by the British Embassy in Manila have no legal value in the UK.)

Prior to our marriage in Hong Kong, we checked with the head immigration officer in Cebu and with the NSO and they both informed us that, in order to get a NSO version of the marriage certificate and for me to be admitted on a Balikbayan Privilege on our return, we'd need to do two things: register our marriage with the Philippine Embassy in Hong Kong AND have them authenticate our HK certificate.

When I initially applied for my provisional 13a a couple of years ago, the BI official who checked my application asked to see my wife's Passport as I was currently covered by a Balikbayan Privilege. She checked that the last dates of entry and flight numbers recorded in both our Passports were the same and wrote "Current BB status verified" on the form.

Have you seen what looks like a new requirement this year whilst reporting?? A form to fill out! UGGGHH!!

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/...igration-office-from-january-to-february-2014

I know! I know! It's that time of year again when we contribute to the BI office party fund.

I've just checked the BI web site and there's no application form available for the Annual Report!

But you will need to take with you:

• Your Passport
• Photocopies of your Passport's details page as well as the pages stamped with your last arrival and your current visa
• Your ACR Card
• Photocopies of both sides of your ACR Card
• All previous years' Annual Report Official Receipts

But everything they need is already stored on their computer system - including all the fees you've paid! I reckon they get us to provide them with photocopies so that they can cut them up into 4, secure them with bulldog clips and use the blank sides to make notes!

Hang on!! I have the URL for the form somewhere..

There ya go..

http://immigration.gov.ph/index.php/information/announcements/2014-annual-report-forms-pdf

Thanks - it wasn't one of those in the "Download" section.

Have you seen this dammed form - four pages! Two more than for the 13(a)! And what on earth is an ICR number? BI also requires to know the full details of all our children and other dependants even if they live abroad. Not only that but they also require us to give them details of any deceased children and parents. Does that include step-children? Does that include children born here? And, of course, does that include grown-up children/step-children?

Complete the form incorrectly and there's the threat of BI cancelling your visa and deporting you. But of course, there are no explanatory notes.

Lots of great info here .........thanks to all for sharing....it's appreciated.

Getting more and more important to keep abreast of updates

Perhaps they are learning from UKBA 27 page form

Or even this one:-
.................
Home Office
Leave to Remain - FLR(M)
PO Box 495
Durham DH99 1WR

FLR(M) Application Form (Version 12/2013) - Page 51 of 51

When I arrived in MNL 2 years ago with my wife (Filipino). I asked a guard if my wife and I had to use separate entry lanes. He directed both of us to the Filipino lane, went to the officer at the entry and chatted with him and pointed to us. When we passed through I got the BB stamp without anything but my Passport. I was not even aware until later, that meant I could stay for 12 months.

I don't know if we were lucky or what.

Heh John long time no see