Foreign nationals are now allowed entry to the Philippines starting May 1, subject to conditions, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said last Friday.
The entry ban on most foreigners, which was imposed on March 22 due to rising COVID-19 cases, is set to end April 30. All travelers from India and those who went to India preceding their arrival to the Philippines are barred from entering the country until May 14 as a safeguard against virus spread that may be caused by the massive surge in COVID-19 cases in the South Asian country.
In February, the Bureau of Immigration released an advisory which contains the list of foreigners qualified to enter the Philippines based on IATF Resolutions No. 97 and 98.
Here is the list:
1. 9(e) visa holders for diplomats accredited to the Philippines
2. foreign airline crew
3. 9(c) visa holders for foreign seafarers
4. 9(d) visa holders for treaty traders
5. visa holders under Section 13 of Commonwealth Act of 613
6. Foreign nationals who have entered the country before June 30, 1992
7. Legal residence visa holders or those who entered the Philippines before January 1, 1984
8. Native Born visa holders
9. Temporary Resident Visa holders
10. Chinese nationals who are married to Philippine citizens
11. Foreign spouses of Filipino nationals
12. Foreign parents of minor Filipino children and of Filipino children with special needs, regardless of age
13. Foreign minor children or children with special needs of Filipino nationals
14. Those with Recognition Certificate (RC) or Citizenship Retention and Reacquisition Act of 2003 certificate
15. Those with visas issued under Executive Order 226, including Special Investor Resident Visa
16. Foreign executives from multinational companies
17. 47(a)(2) visa holders
18. Those with visas issued by Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Authority of the Freeport of Bataan, Cagayan Economic Zone Authority, and Clark Development Corporation
19. Those from non-visa required countries, who are qualified under the Balikbayan Privilege, including former Filipino citizens
20. 9(g) visa holders who left the Philippines on December 17, 2020, or later
21. Holders of 9(a) visas and Special Resident and Retirees Visas, but they need to present an entry exemption document to the BI upon arrival
Other requirements
Authorized foreigners shall follow some conditions to enter the county. These include having valid visas at the time of entry, pre-booked quarantine accommodation for at least six nights in an accredited quarantine hotel or facility, and COVID-19 testing six days after arrival. They are also “subject to the maximum capacity of inbound passengers at the port and date of entry,” Roque said.
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr. earlier announced that incoming international flights would be allowed to carry only up to 1,500 passengers per day to control the further spread of COVID-19.
Source: Immigration, CNN Philippines
Photo: Immigration, The Manila Times