[PHILIPPINES TRAVEL ADVISORY] Passengers allowed to travel to & from the Philippines as per COVID-19 IATF-MEID Resolution #99 - 100 Series of 2021

[UPDATE AS OF FEB 23, 2021]

 

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL GUIDELINES AS PER IATF-MEID RESOLUTION NOS. 99-A and 100 SERIES OF 2021

 

Pursuant to Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) Resolution Nos. 99-A and 100 Series of 2021 dated 11 February 2021 and 18 February 2021, respectively, the following revised guidelines are hereby implemented:

 

A. IATF-MEID Resolution No. 99-A, Series of 2021

To implement an interim monitoring system of foreign nationals in the Philippines, the following shall be adopted, effective 01 March 2021, to wit:

 

Section 1. Coverage. These guidelines shall cover all foreign nationals who are issued visas pursuant to the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940, as amended, and other special laws governing the visa-issuing agencies.

 

For this purpose, the visa issuing agencies include the DOJ, the BI and the investment promotion agencies such as the BOI, PRA, PEZA, CEZA, SBMA, CDC, AFAB, and APECO.

 

Holders of 9(a) visas issued by the DFA are excluded from the coverage of this resolution.

 

Section 3. Travel Pass. All departing foreign nationals covered by Section 1 herein, except those holding Emigration Clearance Certificate (ECC) from the BI, are required to secure a Travel Pass from the same agency which issued their visas. The Travel Pass shall be in the form prescribed in Annex A hereof, and which shall be presented, in printed or electronic form, to the immigration counters as part of the documentary requirements upon departure.

A duly issued Travel Pass shall be for single use and valid for thirty (30) days from its issuance.

 

Each agency may adopt its own system of issuing a Travel Pass to a foreign national and incorporate such security feature/s to ensure authenticity. All security feature/s incorporated must be coordinated with the BI for proper implementation and authentication.

 

In exceptional cases when a foreign national is unable to present his Travel Pass or when the departure is for extremely urgent reason, the BI shall make further verification with the visa issuing agency as to whether or not said foreign national has been duly issued a Travel Pass or has reported the need of emergency departure.

 

Section 6. Duties of the BI. The BI shall check whether a covered foreign national departing from the Philippines is a holder of a duly issued ECC or Travel Pass. A Travel Pass is considered duly issued when the same appears in the list submitted by the visa-issuing agencies. Foreign national who fail to present their duly issued Travel Pass shall not be permitted to depart unless confirmed by the focal persons of the visa-issuing agencies.

 

B. IATF-MEID Resolution No. 100, Series of 2021

 

(1) Effective immediately, the following shall be included/added to the list of foreign nationals allowed to enter the Philippines:

    (a) Those with valid and existing visas at the time of entry, and who were not permitted to enter the country under previous IATF resolutions; and

    (b) Holders of valid and existing Special Resident and Retirees Visa (SRRV) and Section 9(A) visas, provided they present an entry exemption document to the Bureau of Immigration upon arrival.

  

Additional Requirements for Arriving Immigrant and Non-Immigrant Visa Holders issued by the Bureau of Immigration

• Immigrants must present valid Re-entry Permit or validly extended Re-entry Permit, unless otherwise exempted. Failure to present valid Re-entry Permit or validly extended Re-entry Permit shall be a ground for exclusion and the Immigrant shall be immediately boarded on the next available flight.
• Non-immigrants must present valid Special Return Certificate or validly extended Special Return Certificate, unless otherwise exempted. Failure to present valid Special Return Certificate or validly extended Special Return Certificate shall be a ground for exclusion and the Non-immigrant shall be immediately boarded on the next available flight.

 

All foreign nationals (except for Section 9(e) visa holders) shall present a pre-booked accommodation for at least six (6) nights in an accredited quarantine hotel/facility at the Immigration counters for initial check. Those who fail to present a pre-booked accommodation shall be denied entry and shall be boarded immediately on the next available flight.

 

The initial check performed by Immigration authorities shall not in any way interfere with the Department of Tourism’s exclusive jurisdiction on the Final validation and confirmation of pre-booked accommodation in an accredited quarantine hotel/facility.

 

All foreign nationals who were cleared for entry but subsequently found to have presented a counterfeit or fraudulent pre-booked accommodation in an accredited quarantine hotel/facility by the Department of Tourism shall be referred to the Bureau of Immigration for deportation proceedings.

 

All of the foregoing is without prejudice to the exercise of the mandate of the Bureau of Immigration on Arrival and Departure Formalities.

 

Reference: Bureau of Immigration, Philippines / Posted February 23, 2021

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