The Philippine Embassy in Berlin

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BALIKBAYAN PROGRAM 

BALIKBAYAN PROGRAM 

The Balikbayan Program as instituted by Republic Act 6768 (amended by Republic Act 9174) was launched by the Philippine Government to attract and encourage overseas Filipinos to come and visit their motherland. The following are considered balikbayans:

  1. Filipino citizens who have been continuously out of the Philippines for a period of at least one (1) year;
  2. Filipino overseas workers;
  3. Former Filipino citizens who had been naturalized in one of the listed countries, and who comes or returns to the Philippines. If the country of citizenship is not listed, the balikbayan must apply for a Philippine visa.

Accompanying foreign spouse and children may avail of the Balikbayan Program, provided they are citizens of the listed countries and traveling with the former-Filipino balikbayan. If the country of citizenship is not listed, the foreign spouse and children must apply for a Philippine visa.

Please see: COUNTRIES COVERED BY THE BALIKBAYAN PROGRAM or refer to the table below.


All travellers to the Philippines are required to register at https://etravel.gov.ph at least 72 hours before their arrival. Travelers need to present their eTravel QR code prior to flight boarding. Registration is FREE OF CHARGE.

For the latest information on entry, testing and quarantine protocols please check the IATF website or the eTravel website.

As of 22 July 2023, no COVID-19 test or vaccination requirement when traveling to the Philippines.


DURATION OF STAY

Visitors who are admitted as balikbayan are given an initial stay of one (1) year. Their stay may be extended for an additional one (1), two (2) or six (6) months at the Visa Extension Section of a Bureau of immigration (BI) office. Balikbayans who have stayed in the Philippines after thirty six (36) months may be required to submit additional requirements.

The Philippines’ BALIKBAYAN PROGRAM allows an initial stay of ONE YEAR VISA-FREE for former Filipinos who have acquired citizenship in the countries listed below.

The visa-free stay privilege is extended to the balikbayan’s non-Filipino spouse and children, on the two conditions that:

  1. They enter the Philippines with the balikbayan; and
  2. They are citizens of any of the listed countries.

Former Filipino balikbayans traveling to the Philippines are advised to declare before the Immigration Officer at the port of entry that they are availing of the privilege and to bring either their old Philippine passport or copy of Philippine birth certificate as proof of their former Philippine citizenship.

The accompanying family members, who are citizens of countries listed as visa-free, are allowed to enter with the balikbayan to avail of the one-year visa-free stay, provided they are traveling with the balikbayan, and are able to show the following supporting documents as evidence of relationship:

  1. For the spouse: copy of marriage certificate
  2. For each child: copy of the birth certificate (indicating the balikbayan as a parent)
  3. For adopted children: copy of adoption papers (with the balikbayan as a adoptive parent)

Aside from visa-free entry to the Philippines, Philippine Law (R.A. 9174) provides the following benefits to balikbayans:

  • Tax-exempt maximum purchases in the amount of USD 1,500.00, or the equivalent in Philippine and other currency, at Philippine Government–operated duty-free shops
  • Exemption from Travel Tax provided that their stay in the Philippines is one year or less. If their stay in the Philippines exceeds one year, Travel tax will apply.

COUNTRIES COVERED BY THE BALIKBAYAN PROGRAM

Citizens of countries listed below are permitted to enter the Philippines under the Balikbayan program if traveling with the former-Filipino balikbayan. If the country of citizenship is not listed below, a valid entry visa is required.

Andorra Greece Panama
Angola Grenada Papua New Guinea
Antigua and Barbuda Guatemala Paraguay
Argentina Guinea Peru
Australia Guinea Bissau Poland
Austria Guyana Portugal
Bahamas Haiti Qatar
Bahrain Honduras Republic of Korea
Barbados Hungary Romania
Belgium Iceland Russia
Belize Indonesia Rwanda
Benin Ireland Saint Kitts and Nevis
Bhutan Israel Saint Lucia
Bolivia Italy Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Botswana Jamaica Samoa
Brazil Japan San Marino
Brunei Darussalam Kazakhstan Sao Tome and Principe
Bulgaria Kenya Saudi Arabia
Burkina Faso Kiribati Senegal
Burundi Kuwait Seychelles
Cambodia Kyrgyzstan Singapore
Cameroon Lao People’s Democratic Republic Slovak Republic
Canada Latvia Slovenia
Cape Verde Lesotho Solomon Islands
Central African Republic Liberia South Africa
Chad Liechtenstein Spain
Chile Lithuania Suriname
Colombia Luxembourg Swaziland (Eswatini)
Comoros Madagascar Sweden
Congo Malawi Switzerland
Costa Rica Malaysia Tajikistan
Cote d’Ivoire Maldives Thailand
Croatia Mali Togo
Cyprus Malta Trinidad and Tobago
Czech Republic Marshall Islands Tunisia
Democratic Republic of the Congo Mauritania Turkey (Türkiye)
Denmark Mauritius Turkmenistan
Djibouti Mexico Tuvalu
Dominica Micronesia Uganda
Dominican Republic Monaco United Arab Emirates
Ecuador Mongolia United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
El Salvador Morocco United Republic of Tanzania
Equatorial Guinea Mozambique United States of America
Eritrea Myanmar Uruguay
Estonia Namibia Uzbekistan
Ethiopia Nepal Vanuatu
Fiji Netherlands Vatican
Finland New Zealand Venezuela
France Nicaragua Vietnam
Gabon Niger Zambia
Gambia Norway Zimbabwe
Germany Oman
Ghana Palau

CONNECT WITH US

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CONTACT US

Luisenstrasse 16, 10117 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0) 30 864 95 00
info@philippine-embassy.de

Assistance to Nationals (ATN) / Emergency Hotline: +49 (0) 173 421 7750
(Please help us keep the line free for those with real emergencies. Do not call this number for regular inquiries.)

Consular Hotline: +49 (0) 173 521 5703 (For queries on Consular Services)

Opening Hours
Consular Section
Mon – Fri – Fri 09:00H – 16:00H
(Except on Philippine and German holidays)

 

Philippine Migrant Workers Office (MWO)

For OEC and Verification of Employment Contracts of Balik-Manggagawa in Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, and Russia:

Mobile/Viber No.: +49 1766 151 2953

Email: mwo.germanyoec@gmail.com

 

For accreditation of Agency and Direct Hires in Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, and Russia:

email: germany@mwoberlin.com

 

For OWWA membership, welfare, and labor case assistance:

WhatsApp No. +49 1523 765 7614

Email: owwamemb@gmail.com

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