Hi everyone, my question is very specific.
If you enter on a Balikbayan visa, once the allowed one-year stay is up you can convert to a tourist visa and extend for three more years. Has anyone been able to extend beyond those three years on the grounds that their original entry was on a Balikbayan visa?
I've heard that past three years they'll keep extending you indefinitely.
As for my situation, I'm severely disabled and use a wheelchair, so even leaving the country for a couple of days to get a new BB visa would be extremely hard for me.
You only get 2 more years. It's 36 months total either way.
Get a 13a residence visa.
It must be 36 months from the date of conversion to a tourist visa, because I just got a 2-month extension taking me to 26 months. I'm well aware of the 13A and SRRV visas, I was just curious about the specific question in my post. If it's not possible, I'll just put up with the hassle and take a trip with my wife to get a new BB visa on return. Thanks for the replies Sorry, it seems my disabilities go beyond the physical into the mental — I'm actually only 14 months into my tourist visa extensions, so apparently I have 10 months to go if it's 3 years total.
Isn't the easiest way for you and your wife to leave the country and come back together? Then you get another year and don't have to worry about or pay for visa renewals every 2 months.
Have you thought about getting an SRRV visa?
ChatGPT: Extensions beyond three years may be possible, but "indefinitely" is not guaranteed. According to BI's official FAQ, Balikbayan entrants get one year initially, can apply for extensions, and face additional requirements after 36 months. It does not promise unlimited extensions. immigration.gov.ph For this wheelchair user, the practical next step is to ask BI for written confirmation of the requirements for further extensions, explaining the disability and the difficulty of travelling. A Balikbayan entry alone doesn't create a right to stay indefinitely.
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