Philippines allows re-entry of more foreigners subject to conditions

December 18, 2020

The Philippine government is allowing re-entry of more foreign nationals with valid and existing visas, subject to certain conditions, Malacanang said on Friday.

In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said this was approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases under Resolution No. 89 issued on December 17.

"The IATF, in its 89th meeting, also allowed the re-entry to the Philippines of foreign nationals with valid and existing visas under Section 9(e) and 9(g) of Commonwealth Act No. 613, as amended, who are already in the country and will be leaving the country starting December 17, 2020," he said in the statement.

Section 9(e) of CA 613, as amended, covers an accredited official of foreign government recognized by the Philippine government, his family, attendants, servants, and employees.

Section 9(g) of the same law covers aliens coming to prearranged employment, for whom the issuance of a visa has been authorized in accordance with law, and his wife, and his unmarried children under 21 years of age, if accompanying him or if following to join him within a period of six months from the date of his admission into the Philippines as a nonimmigrant under this paragraph.

The re-entry of the foreign nationals, however, is subject to conditions, Roque said.

The conditions include having a valid and existing visa on the date of the arrival; must have a pre-booked quarantine facility; must have a pre-booked coronavirus disease testing at a laboratory operating at the airport; and must be subject to maximum capacity of inbound passengers at the port and date of entry.

"The foregoing is without prejudice to the immigration laws, rules and regulations such that the Commissioner of Immigration shall have the exclusive prerogative to decide on waiver or recall of exclusion orders for the above foreign nationals, including other foreign nationals who have entered the Philippines by virtue of Inter-Agency Task Force resolutions," IATF Resolution No. 89 read.

With this, Roque, who is also the spokesman of the IATF, said the Bureau of Immigration has been directed to issue the guidelines to implement the task force's resolution including the necessary coordination with the airlines. Celerina Monte/DMS