GOVPH

The Philippines has instituted the Balikbayan Program (through Republic Act 6768), under the administration of the Department of Tourism to attract and encourage overseas Filipinos to come and visit their country of birth.

Under this program, Balikbayans (overseas Filipinos and former Filipino citizens who had been naturalized as a citizen of a foreign country), including their spouse and unmarried children, can avail of certain benefits and privileges when they visit / return to the Philippines.

The privileges include the following:

1. Tax-free maximum purchase in the amount of One thousand United States dollars (US$1,000.00) or its equivalent in other acceptable foreign currencies at Philippine duty-free shops subject to certain limitations as specified in Section 4 of RA 6768;
2. For foreign passport holders with the exception of certain nationals*, visa-free entry to the Philippines for a period of one (1) year;
3. (c) Travel tax exemption as provided under Presidential Decree No. 1183, Executive Order No. 283, and other allied laws;

To avail of the visa-free entry with an allowed period of stay of up to one year, the foreign spouse and/or child of the overseas Filipino/former Filipino must observe the following requirements:

1. Must travel together with the Filipino or former Filipino spouse or parent;
2. Must travel with a valid passport with a period of validity not less than six months beyond the contemplated period of stay in the Philippines;
3. Must be able to present a return ticket to country of origin or next country of destination;
4. Must be able to show proof of blood relation to the overseas Filipino/former Filipino spouse or parent (i.e. PSA Marriage Contract / Report of Marriage, Birth Certificate/Marriage Contract with English translation, etc.) to the satisfaction of the immigration authorities at the port of entry.

The overseas Filipino/former Filipino must be able to show proof of current Philippine citizenship (i.e. valid Philippine passport) or former Philippine citizenship as applicable (i.e. PSA Birth Certificate, old Philippine passport etc.) to the satisfaction of the immigration port authorities.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

• The term “balikbayan” shall mean a Filipino citizen who has been continuously out of the Philippines for a period of at least one (1) year, a Filipino overseas worker, or a former Filipino citizen and his family, as this term is defined hereunder, who had been naturalized in a foreign country and comes or returns to the Philippines; and
• The term “family” shall mean the spouse and the children of the balikbayan who are not balikbayan in their own right traveling with the latter to the Philippines.
• *Family members of Balikbayans as well as former Philippine citizens who acquired the citizenship of countries NOT LISTED under EO 408 (please see the matrix of countries under the 30-day visa-free entry subsection in this website) are not entitled to the Balikbayan privilege. THEY MUST SECURE APPROPRIATE ENTRY VISAS PRIOR TO THEIR TRAVEL TO THE PHILIPPINES.
• Furthermore, nationals who are subjects of deportation/blacklist orders of the Philippine Bureau of Immigration are not covered by the Balikbayan privilege.

Los restos de una filipina nacional fallecida pueden ser enviados a las Filipinas solamente después de un Certificado Consular mortuorios e Informe de defunción se obtiene de este Consulado. Los requisitos para una solicitud de estos certificados son los siguientes:

Informaciones y documentos necesarios para el traslado de restos humanos a Filipinas:

• Nombre, dirección y contacto del consignatario en Filipinas
• Detalle de vuelo (Numero de vuelo, lugar, fecha y hora)
• ​​Datos requeridos para nota de autorización para Aduana
  

Documentos que deben ser presentados:

1. Original y 4 fotocopias de Certificado de defunción emitido por el Registro de las Personas que debe estar traducido al inglés y debe estar legalizado por el Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores.

2. ​Original y 4 fotocopias de Certificado mortuorio d​el Director de la Funeraria/Cochería, avalando que el cuerpo del difunto fue correctamente embalsamado de acuerdo con las prácticas sanitarias internacionales correspondientes, y certificado que el cuerpo del difunto está en condiciones sanitarias para ser embarcado al exterior, y el ataúd ha sido herméticamente sellado y solo contiene los restos humanos,  debe estar traducido al Inglés y certificada pr escribano publico.

3. Original y 4 fotocopias de Certificado de Tanatopraxia,  debe estar traducido al inglés

4. ​Original y 4 fotocopias de Certificado de enfermedad no contagiosa (emitido por la autoridad sanitaria competente) avalando que el difunto no murió a causa de una enfermedad contagiosa o que los restos a ser embarcados se originaron en una localidad contaminada por una enfermedad contagiosa, debe estar traducido al inglés y debe estar legalizado por el Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores.

5. Original y 4 fotocopias de Licencia de Inhumación en Extraña Jurisdicción emitido por el Registro de las Personas, debe estar traducido al inglés y debe estar legalizado por el Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores

6. Pasaporte Filipino del difunto, 5 fotocopias

7. Una carta de autorización firmada por la familia del difunto lo que indica que se autoriza la Embajada a firmar en su nombre la carta requerida por la Administrador de Aduana en el Aeropuerto de Ezeiza.

En cuanto sean presentados los requerimientos mencionados arriba, la Embajada emitirá los siguientes documentos:​

1. Certificado Mortuorio Consular (arancel consular de US $ 25solo en dólares) que debe ser incluido con los documentos que se enumeraron anteriormente. Dicha documentación acompañará los restos que se embarcarán a Filipinas.

2. Informe de Defunción (arancel consular de US $ 25 solo en dólares) y la transmitirá a las agencias gubernamentales correspondientes en Manila para que dicha defunción sea registrada en Filipinas.

​3. Autorización (arancel consular de US $ 25 solo en dólares) para trasladar los restos humanos a filipinos, que es un requisito de la Aduana en Aeropuerto.

Cremated remains of a deceased person may be brought to the Philippines only after a Consular Mortuary Certificate is secured from this Consulate. The requirements for a petition for this certificate are the following:

1. Death Certificate with English translation and legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Argentina - one (1) original and four (4) photocopies
2. Burial Transit Permit with English translation and legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Argentina - one (1) original and four (4) photocopies
3. Cremation Certificate with English translation and legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Argentina - one (1) original and four (4) photocopies
4. Notarized Mortuary Certificate stating that the urn contains only the cremated remains, with English translation and legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Argentina - one (1) original and four (4) photocopies
5. Four (4) copies of the following:

1. Passport of the person carrying the cremated remains.
2. Flight details of the transport of the cremated remains.
3. consignee’s address and phone number in the Philippines
4. family member or contact person’s address in Argentina and in the Philippines (indicate relationship to the deceased)
5. last known address of the deceased in the Philippines
6. Proof of Citizenship - Philippine passport for Filipino citizens (or former Filipino citizen, Argentine passport or naturalization papers for other nationalities, passport)
7. Processing fee of $50.00 ($25.00 for Mortuary Certificate and $25.00 for Report of Death) in cash and in US dollars only

NOTE:

1. All photocopies should be in A4 size.
2. Application may be submitted in person at the Embassy
3. The processing period is two (2) working days.

Philippine honorary consular offices primarily attend to and protect the interest of the Philippines as well as the rights of Filipinos in consular districts concerned. In particular, these consular offices seek to promote and expand foreign trade, attract foreign tourists and investments, and protect and advance the interests of Filipino nationals. Likewise, these offices strive to develop a market for Philippine products within the consular districts, and to disseminate vital information about Philippine political, economic, social and cultural development.

Under the immediate supervision of the Philippine Embassy Buenos Aires, Argentina, these offices provide essential services for the Filipinos and are authorized by the Embassy to act on specific matters such as the performance of notarial functions like the administration of oaths to Filipino citizens. Guided by the principle that all Filipino citizens are entitled to protection abroad, these consulates provide assistance to Filipino nationals whether transient or resident in the district of the Foreign Service post. They shall be received cordially and extended proper assistance, regardless of their social status or immigrant standing.

The Philippine Honorary Consular Offices are as follows:

BOLIVIA

La Paz                       VACANT

Sta. Cruz                   PENDING ACCREDITATION

PARAGUAY            

Asuncion                     PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL, ASUNCION CITY

                                    MR. CARLOS DARIO RUFFINELLI CESPEDES

                                    Consul General, a.h.

                                    Avenida Peru 1044

                                    Asuncion, Paraguay

                                    Tel. No. (59521) 21 46 88

                                    Fax No. (59521) 60 59 88

                                    Mobile: (595961) 606444

                                    Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

URUGUAY               

Montevideo                 PHILIPPINE CONSULATE, MONTEVIDEO

                                    MS. ANNA MARIA KATRINA G. ZOSA

                                    Consul, a.h.

                                    José Scoseria 2733 Montevideo, 

                                    Uruguay CP 11300

                                    Tel. No. (598) 2 711 1621

                                    Mobile: (598) 99 267 678

                                    Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

                                               This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.