This is with regard to the requests of Foreign Nationals (“FNs”) for endorsement to the Department of Foreign Affairs (“DFA”) for Travel Ban Exemptions (“TBE”) to the Philippines.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (“DICT”) refers to the following:
(i) The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (“IATF MEID”) Resolution No. 119 dated 03 June 2021 which stipulated that FNs who are holders of valid and existing Special Resident Retiree’s Visas (“SRRVs”) shall be allowed entry into the country without the need for an Entry Exemption Document (“EED”). Said Resolution amended Paragraph C. of IATF-MEID Resolution No. 100 dated 18 February 2021 which previously required both 9(a) visa and SRRV holders to present an EED issued by the DFA to the Bureau of Immigration (“BI”) upon their arrival;
(ii) The BI Advisory dated 04 June 2021 on the Revised Guidelines Per IATF-MEID Resolution No. 119, series of 2021, which referred back to the aforementioned Resolution and provided that FNs with valid and existing SRRVs may be permitted to enter the Philippines without the need for an EED; and
(iii) The BI Press Release dated 05 June 2021, “BI clarifies Retiree’s Visa Holders allowed to enter without exemption docs,” which referred to the BI Advisory dated 04 June 2021 and also stated that holders of valid and existing SRRVs are now allowed to enter the country without an EED.
In line with the abovementioned, please be advised that the DICT will no longer be processing the requests for TBE to the Philippines of FNs with valid and existing SRRVs.
Kindly note that all travelers or passengers coming from or who have been to India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates are still temporarily prohibited from entering the country until 15 June 2021 pursuant to the Memorandum from Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea dated 31 May 2021 on the Extension of the Imposition of Travel Restrictions on Travelers from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates to Prevent the Entry of the SARS-COV-2 B.1.617 Variant First Detected in India.
The foregoing issuances are annexed to this Advisory for reference. Please be guided accordingly.
For a copy of the docment, Click the link below: