Does a Visitor to the Philippines need a Return Ticket if they are Married to a Philippine Citizen
A Balikbayan Visa holder, is a person who gets a special Passport stamp to allow them to stay in the Philippines, for one year, if they are married to a Philippine Citizen. They get this stamp on ENTRY into the Philippines, not before.
Most visitors to the Philippines normally need a Return or onward air-ticket before being allowed to fly into the Philippines. (I have read that the airline faces a $1,000 penalty if a passenger is found to be not holding an onward ticket)
Most airlines will NOT give return tickets up to a one year period.
So, does a Balikbayan Visa holder need a Return Air-ticket ? And if so, how ?
There are many questions on this, on various Internet Forums etc, going back for years, with various different answers.
A quote from the Philippine Consulate states:
Under the Balikbayan Law, a Filipino citizen’s (including dual citizens and former Filipinos) foreign spouse and children are entitled to a visa-free entry to the Philippines and visa-free stay for a period of one (1) year, provided they enter the Philippines with the said Filipino and they have a return air travel ticket.
http://www.philippineconsulate.com.au/dual-citizenship/introduction-note.html
This does appear to be the legal viewpoint.
Yes. You do appear to NEED a return/onward ticket.
