IATF expands list of foreigners allowed to enter Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Holders of special resident retiree’s visa are among the individuals who will be allowed to enter the Philippines starting Feb. 16, as the government expands the list of foreigners allowed entry amid the threat of new COVID-19 variants.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) on Thursday said the government will allow the entry of foreign nationals with visas issued as of March 20, 2020 and still valid and existing at the time of entry.

Under IATF Resolution No. 98, among those allowed to enter the Philippines are holders of valid and existing Special Resident Retiree’s Visa (SRRV) and Section 9 (A) visas as long as they present an entry exemption document to the Bureau of Immigration (BI) upon arrival.

“This shall take effect on Feb. 16, 2021,” subject to conditions outlined by the BI, presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said yesterday.

Roque said tourists are still not allowed unless there are exemptions. The government allows entry of foreigners also based on case-to-case endorsements from agencies, wherein certain foreigners need to come to the country.

As requirement for their entry, the government mandates that foreign nationals should have pre-booked accommodation for at least six nights in an accredited quarantine hotel/facility; and that they will allow themselves to be subjected to COVID-19 testing at the facility on the sixth day from date of arrival.

“The continued implementation of pro-active measures is necessary to ensure the utmost protection of the health of the Filipino people,” the IATF said in its resolution, signed by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and Secretary to the Cabinet Karlo Nograles, co-chairs of the IATF.

The IATF also ruled that foreign nationals are subject to the maximum capacity of inbound passengers at the port and date of entry.

“This expanded list, however, is without prejudice to existing immigration laws, rules and regulations,” Roque said, adding that the BI commissioner has the exclusive prerogative to decide on waiver or recall of exclusion orders for all foreign nationals allowed to enter the country under relevant IATF resolutions.

Effective Feb. 1, the Philippine government has allowed entry of visa holders such as diplomats accredited to the Philippines, including foreign embassies and foreign government and international organization officials; foreign airline crew; foreign seafarers; treaty traders from the US, Japan and Germany, among others; and those covered by Section 13, series of Commonwealth Act No. 613.

Foreign nationals who are granted entry under Republic Act 7919 or the Social Integration Act of 1995; those with legal residence for qualified foreigners who entered the country before Jan. 1, 1984; native born visa holders or foreign children born to foreigners with permanent resident status in the Philippines; temporary resident visa holders; Chinese nationals married to Filipino citizens; foreign spouses of Filipinos; foreign minor children and foreign children with special needs; foreign parents of minor Filipino children and of Filipino children with special needs are also permitted to enter the Philippines.

Those carrying investors visas issued by the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority; Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority; Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan; Cagayan Economic Zone Authority and Clark Development Corp. are also allowed to come here provided that they follow the requisites imposed by the BI.