US Citizen wants to stay for 30 days in the Philippines

[carL♥tRin 1]

Hi,

I was born in the Philippines and a naturalized US Citizen and I'm planning to visit my motherland Philippines for over 21 days... or 30 days to be exact. I will also have a return ticket. Can I ask the immigration at the airport if I can extend my stay up to 30 days? I have also read about the "balikbayan stamp" which you can also let them know that you are a balikbayan and they would stamp your passport? does anybody have similar experience? THanks in advance.

[Hank_ 9,174]

Hi,

I was born in the Philippines and a naturalized US Citizen and I'm planning to visit my motherland Philippines for over 21 days... or 30 days to be exact. I will also have a return ticket. Can I ask the immigration at the airport if I can extend my stay up to 30 days? I have also read about the "balikbayan stamp" which you can also let them know that you are a balikbayan and they would stamp your passport? does anybody have similar experience? THanks in advance.

Bring your Philippine passport or just bring your birth certificate and get the balikbayan stamp.

One other note, the 21 day was changed to 30 days a few months back.

[DanTes 21]

I know several U.S. citizen (Filipinas) who live in the Philippines without dual citizenship. You can stay for up to 1 year (Balikbayan) even on an expired Philippine passport OR your Philippine birth certificate. You have to leave the country (Hong Kong, Thailand, etc for a couple of days, come back in, and you can stay for another year. Have a good trip!! My wife will be submitting her N-400 next month. Hope everything goes good for her.

[carL♥tRin 1]

Bring your Philippine passport or just bring your birth certificate and get the balikbayan stamp.

One other note, the 21 day was changed to 30 days a few months back.

Will do. Thank you! :-)

[carL♥tRin 1]

I know several U.S. citizen (Filipinas) who live in the Philippines without dual citizenship. You can stay for up to 1 year (Balikbayan) even on an expired Philippine passport OR your Philippine birth certificate. You have to leave the country (Hong Kong, Thailand, etc for a couple of days, come back in, and you can stay for another year. Have a good trip!! My wife will be submitting her N-400 next month. Hope everything goes good for her.

Wow! Thanks so much for the info. Best of luck to your wife! :-)

[makulit909 4]

Hi! I am also a naturalized US Citizen and was able to stay in the Philippines for 6 weeks in 2012 without problem. From what I've heard, we can now stay for a year so don't worry, enjoy and have a safe trip!

[Tahoma 2,292]

Bring your Philippine passport or just bring your birth certificate and get the balikbayan stamp.

One other note, the 21 day was changed to 30 days a few months back.

I know several U.S. citizen (Filipinas) who live in the Philippines without dual citizenship. You can stay for up to 1 year (Balikbayan) even on an expired Philippine passport OR your Philippine birth certificate. You have to leave the country (Hong Kong, Thailand, etc for a couple of days, come back in, and you can stay for another year. Have a good trip!! My wife will be submitting her N-400 next month. Hope everything goes good for her.

She doesn't need a Philippines passport nor a Philippines birth certificate in order to use the balikbayan privilege because her U.S. passport's bio page includes her place of birth. She will get stamped for a one-year stay.

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

She doesn't need a Philippines passport nor a Philippines birth certificate in order to use the balikbayan privilege because her U.S. passport's bio page includes her place of birth. She will get stamped for a one-year stay.

IF she asks for it.

[Tahoma 2,292]

IF she asks for it.

Chinook has never had to ask for it, but certainly would if necessary.

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

Chinook has never had to ask for it, but certainly would if necessary.

So she shows her US passport, they look at her bio page to determine she was born in the PI, and they give her BB stamp without her asking?

[Tahoma 2,292]

So she shows her US passport, they look at her bio page to determine she was born in the PI, and they give her BB stamp without her asking?

Yes, that was Chinook's experience...twice. However, the "balikbayan stamp" is simply the regular stamp, and the officer writes in a one-year time period instead of writing in a 30-day time period. The officer did the same thing for me...no questions asked.

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

Yes, that was Chinook's experience...twice. However, the "balikbayan stamp" is simply the regular stamp, and the officer writes in a one-year time period instead of writing in a 30-day time period. The officer did the same thing for me...no questions asked.

Glad it worked out for you that way. It didn't for us. I never got the BB stamp, but did not know to ask for it (and didn't matter, as we only stayed 26 days). But next time, I will know to ask.

[JAYANN & JAY 11]

Hi,

I was born in the Philippines and a naturalized US Citizen and I'm planning to visit my motherland Philippines for over 21 days... or 30 days to be exact. I will also have a return ticket. Can I ask the immigration at the airport if I can extend my stay up to 30 days? I have also read about the "balikbayan stamp" which you can also let them know that you are a balikbayan and they would stamp your passport? does anybody have similar experience? THanks in advance.

I am also a US Citizen and when I go home to the Philippines they usually stamp my passport with a 1 year stay. Although I never stayed in the Philippines for more than a year though Enjoy your trip.