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About Bill and Lorna Collings
Expertise
Feel FREE to ask us about traveling, living, relocating, retiring and investing in the Philippines. Guests from 83 countries make our place in Manila an incredible meeting place for world travelers who exchange travel stories and information. We understand both the joys and the hardships of living and traveling in the Philippines.

Experience
I arrived in the Philippines in January 1980 to travel for 2 months; I stayed 4 months before reluctantly leaving. I met my Filipina wife, Lorna. an incredible stellar, "one in a million" individual in 1983 in Seoul and we moved to the Philippines in 1986 and opened our 3BR house to world travelers on a budget. After welcoming thousands of guests from 83 nations our place has grown to 30 bedrooms but will never lose its "Home away from Home" atmosphere. Almost everyday at The Townhouse Hotel there's a party-like social scene with vibrant, almost magical energetic conversations between our guests who have the pleasure to meet each other and share their life's many experiences. Sometimes. three groups with conversations in different langauges are going on at the same time.
So we've been exposed to every kind of person from all over the world and shared their experiences.

Publications
Suite101.com, eDreams.com, expertcentral.com ( who asked me to apply with allexperts.com since About.com has bought both companies and are in the process of integrating them)

Education/Credentials
some college 2-1/2 years - no degree - I've been traveling since I was 18, almost 30 years.

Awards and Honors
Luckily, my wife and I have been semi-retired since we were 30 years old, more than 15 years.

You are here: Experts > Cultures > Southeast Asia for Visitors > Philippines > Balikbayan visa

Philippines - Balikbayan visa

Expert: Bill and Lorna Collings - 11/7/2009

Question
I will be going on holiday to the Philippines in December for 28 days and have seen many conflicting answers with regards to visas. I am a UK citizen and live with my Filipina wife in Malaysia. She is a Philippine citizen and we both last left the Philippines at the end of our last holiday on December 31 2008. Would you know if it is possible for me to get this balikbayan visa (my wife only has Philippine citizenship and not British), or do I need to get the 21 day visa and then find somewhere to extendit? If so, I would try to extend it in Bacolod, so do you know how long it would take? Many thanks in advance.

Answer
90% chance YES you both will be issued Balikbayan visas but it's NOT an Absolute right BUT "privelidge" at the disgression of each immigration officer. In all the times I have arrived with my wife ONLY once at the Philippines Airlines Terminal coming from Bangkok did a female immigration officer stamp me as a tourist. Even then my wife talked with her and was able to obtain a one year stamp for me. If not then you will get 21 days automatically upon arrival and can pay P3030 at the airport upon departure if you overstay up to a total of 59 days. One day late or 38 days over is the same price

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