BY JUN RAMIREZ
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has clarified that only foreigners with permanent or immigrant visas can enter the country starting August 1.
This was stressed by BI Commissioner Jaime Morente, saying the entry of foreign tourists, non-immigrant visa holders, and other categories of aliens are still prohibited, and “they will be turned back if they land in any of our ports of entry.”
The BI chief issued the statement upon learning that immigration offices at the airports and other field offices have been swamped with calls and queries from persons who wrongly thought that the country has opened its doors to all foreign citizens.
“The resolution of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) is clear, only foreigners with existing long-term visas will be allowed entry beginning August 1,” Morente said.
He appealed to the public to stop spreading fake news that all foreigners are now welcome to enter the Philippines as it will only sow confusion, and create chaos at airports if there is a sudden surge in the arrival of foreigners.
According to BI port operations chief Grifton Medina, there are only four visa categories of aliens who will be allowed entry starting next month.
Medina said these aliens must fall under the following categories: those who were issued non-immigrant visas under Section 13 of the Immigration act; those who acquired resident status under Republic Act 7919 (Alien Social Integration Act), those who availed of Executive Order 324 (Alien Legalization Program), and foreign nationals born here.
Medina also stressed that foreigners married to Filipinos and their dependents, as well as foreign diplomats, can reenter as earlier resolved by the IATF.
“We are therefore advising the different airlines to take note of these latest travel guidelines so that they can accordingly inform their foreign customers who may wish to book their flights to the Philippines,” the BI official said.
Medina added that the BI does not expect a substantial increase in foreign arrivals despite the lifting of entry restrictions on immigrant visa holders as the bureau’s records indicate that there are only about 15,000 of them who are stranded abroad due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Jun Ramirez)
