Updated International Travel Guidelines for Foreign Nationals Arriving to the Philippines
The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) issued Resolution No. 98 on February 4 to prescribe the list of foreign nationals allowed to enter the Philippines starting February 16. Two weeks after, on February 18, the agency issued Resolution No. 100 to delete the reckoning period of March 20, 2020 in Paragraph B(1).
Resolution No. 100 amended the previous guidelines for foreign nationals allowed to enter the Philippines, which is clarified below:
No Longer In Effect (Resolution No. 98) | Currently In Effect (Resolution No. 100 |
Foreign nationals with visas issued as of March 20, 2020, and still valid and existing at the time of entry, and who were not permitted to enter the Philippines under previous IATF resolutions are now allowed to enter the country | Foreign nationals with valid and existing visas at the time of entry, and who were not permitted to enter the Philippines under previous IATF resolutions are now allowed to enter the country |
The following provision, enumerated in both Resolution Nos. 98 and 100, is still in effect:
Holders of valid and existing Special Resident Retiree’s Visa (SRRV) and Section 9(a) visa are allowed to enter the Philippines, provided they secure an entry exemption* from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and present it to the Bureau of Immigration (BI) upon arrival.
In addition, as a general rule, foreign nationals are still prohibited from entering the Philippines, except holders of valid and existing Philippine visas included in this list.
*The entry exemption document may be secured from the DFA upon endorsement by the relevant national government agency or instrumentality. For SRRV holders, endorsement must be first secured from the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) and the Department of Tourism (DOT).
Travel Pass Requirement
All departing foreign nationals, except those holding Emigration Clearance Certificates (ECC) issued by BI, are required to secure a Travel Pass from the government agency that issued their visas. The Travel Pass (in electronic or printed form), which is valid for 30 days from its issuance, shall only be eligible for single use and must be presented to immigration officers before departing the Philippines.
Special Return Certificate (SRC) and Re-entry Permit (RP)
For arriving immigrant and non-immigrant visa holders, they must present valid or extended SRC or RP, as applicable. Those with expired SRC and RP will be allowed to re-enter the Philippines upon payment of the required fees at the airport.
General Arrival Protocols
Except for 9(e) visa holders, all foreign nationals permitted entry into the Philippines shall be required to:
- Secure and present a pre-booked accommodation for at least six (6) nights in a DOT-accredited quarantine hotel/facility; and
- Undergo RT-PCR (swab) testing at their respective quarantine hotel/facility on the sixth (6th) day from the date of arrival in the Philippines, and other applicable quarantine and isolation protocols as prescribed by the Department of Health (DOH).
Important Notice Upon Arrival
Foreign nationals who fail to present the SRC/RP and the pre-booked accommodation shall be denied entry and will be required to board immediately on the next available outbound flight.
Want to know more? You can access the official copies of the issuances here:
- IATF-MEID Resolution No. 98
- IATF-MEID Resolution No. 100
- COVID-19 Public Advisory No. 51: Entry Restrictions and Visa Rules for Foreign Nationals Traveling to the Philippines Beginning February 16, 2021
If this travel advisory is not applicable to you, please disregard this email.