BI further eases rules for departing aliens with approved visas

April 3, 2020

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said it is allowing foreigners with approved visa applications to leave the country even if said visas have not been implemented and stamped in their passports.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said he approved the easing of the visa rules to enable aliens whose applications for various types of visa were already approved by the bureau to leave during the period of the enhanced community quarantine against the Covid-19 outbreak.

Morente said the move was to solve the predicament of foreigners who wish to immediately return to their home countries during the quarantine period, despite not fully completing procedures for visa application.

In regular BI procedures, aliens whose visa applications have been approved are required to submit their passports to allow the BI to affix the visa.

“I have instructed our Port Operations Division (POD) to allow the departure of foreigners with approved but unimplemented visas, provided they meet certain conditions during this critical period,” the BI chief said. “Their visas can be revalidated and implemented when they return.”

BI POD Chief Grifton Medina disclosed that in compliance with Morente’s directive, departing foreigners with approved visas shall no longer be required to have thier visas affixed on their passports.

Medina said that in lieu of the visa implementation stamp, the alien shall present to the immigration officer his valid passport; printout of his name in the agenda when said visa was approved, Department of Justice Indorsement, or Certification from the approving office whichever is applicable; and official receipts evidencing payment of reentry and exit permit fees.

“Before clearing the passenger for departure the immigration officer shall instruct the alien to immediately proceed to the BI main office upon return to apply for revalidation of his visa and its implementation on his passport,” Medina added.

BI lawyer Jing Oliver Balina, however, stressed that affected foreigners should only go the main office after the quarantine is lifted to complete the procedure of visa issuance.

Balina serves as secretary of the BI Board of Commissioners, which deliberates and approves or denies applications by foreigners for the various types of immigrant and non-immigrant visas that the bureau is authorized to issue under the Philippine immigration act. BI