Foreigners can get reentry permits at airport

MANILA, Philippines — Foreigners who are holders of valid visas, but whose reentry permits have expired, will now be allowed to enter the Philippines after paying the required fees at the airport, Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente yesterday said.

In a statement, Morente said the move aims to facilitate the entry of foreigners with existing valid visas.

He added that the new policy covers foreigners who have been issued immigrant and non-immigrant visas and are returning to the Philippines after being stranded abroad due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said new rules are being adopted by the Bureau of Immigration on orders of Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra to allow the reentry of aliens with expired reentry permits (RPs) and special return certificates (SRCs), instead of sending them back to their ports of origin.

An RP is issued to a holder of an immigrant visa who is a permanent resident here, while the SRC is obtained by a non-immigrant such as holders of 9(g) working visa and 9(f) student visa.

These foreigners cannot leave the country unless they have secured their RP or SRC as well as their immigration clearance certificate, the BI said.
Official receipts of payments are to be presented to the immigration officer upon these aliens’ return to the country.

Reentry permit fees are valid from six months to one year from the date of a foreigner’s departure.