Balikbayan Visa and Return Air-ticket Requirement

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.

Balikbayans can stay for 3 years

How long can a Balikbayan stay in the Philippines?

This is from the Bureau of Immigration (BI) official website:

Those who are admitted as Balikbayans are given an initial stay of one (1) year.

They may extend their stay for another one (1), two (2) or six (6) months provided that they present their valid passport and filled out the visa extension form and submit it to the Visa Extension Section in the BI Main Office or any BI Offices nationwide.

An additional requirement will be ask for Balikbayans who have stayed in the Philippines after thirty six (36) months.

http://www.immigration.gov.ph/index.php/faqs/visa-inquiry/balikbayan-previlege

BoI Balikbayan 3 years