BoI Info NEW rules on ENTRY of FOREIGNERS

I don't understand all of this, but the information may be of use to any ex-pat currently outside the Philippines who reads this Forum (I quoted the article in full):

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 28) — The Bureau of Immigration announced on Sunday that foreign nationals with expired reentry permits or special return certificates, but whose visas are still valid, are now allowed to enter the country upon payment of required fees at the airport.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said the new rules will apply to foreigners with immigrant and non-immigrant visas who are coming back to the Philippines after being stranded abroad due to COVID-19 restrictions.

"Many of these foreign nationals have already expired RPs and SRCs, and the new procedure will allow them to renew this at the airport upon arrival," Morente said.

A reentry permit is issued to an immigrant visa holder, who is a permanent resident in the Philippines, while the special return certificate is obtained by a non-immigrant such as holders of 9(g) working visa and 9(f) student visa.

Foreigners will be required to show official receipts of their reentry permit fees to the immigration officer upon arrival.

The BI chief added that the new rules were adopted on orders of Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra.

 

Hopefully.

For all the things I write about the risks now being taken, I really hope this country can get back to a good state in its well-being and economy. It has enough knocks from natural disasters, plus a few self-created.

 

I am in China and if Filipinos are not allowed into China by July ( wife and two kids) then I'm leaving and going back to the Philippines, so I was in contact with the embassy here.

1.. there is no visa on arrival I never got around to getting any stay visa even though married 11 years
so I need to apply for an entry visa/sticker, I will be issued a 9a visa, but in theory, its just an entry visa only and I just revert to visa on entry requirements have to extend at 30 days for the 59 and just ball on every 59 days

need to show them the marriage and kids birth cert red ribboned and a few other bits n pieces, but the embassy is only 800 metres from me here in Beijing so no big deal, but I know I will be back there more than once before I get the visa if needed
but if china opens up to Filipinos before July then the family coming here for a minimum of 2 years before moving from here.

 

We are wanting to travel there in November for my wife's dad 1 year death anniversary since we couldn't make it back when he died. Hopefully things will open by then.

 

The new rule, officially posted as Advisory dated March 2, 2021 by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) at https://immigration.gov.ph/images/Advisory/2021/03_Mar/2021Mar05_advisory.jpg, appears intended to benefit a foreigner lawfully admitted as permanent resident in the Philippines and who departed for temporary visit abroad, then became stranded there by CoViD-19 travel restrictions, yet whose Immigrant Visa remains valid albeit with his Re-entry Permit (RP) expired. At the same time, it also appears intended to benefit a foreigner who was either lawfully gainfully employed in the Philippines under a 9(g) special work permit or was lawfully school-enrolled in the Philippines under a 9(f) special student permit and who departed for temporary visit abroad, then became stranded there by CoViD-19 travel restrictions, and yet whose Non-Immigrant Visa remains valid albeit with his Special Return Certificate (SRC) expired.

BI regulations require the above-mentioned category of foreigners who are valid ACR I-Card holders to obtain pre-departure fee-paid RP or SRC at the Bureau of Immigration (BI) Main Office or at the departure airport or else lose legal status and/or ability to re-enter Philippines. Upon return, they are supposed to manifest compliance before BI officers at arrival airport by presenting the BI Official Receipt acknowledging fee payment.

The validity of an RP or an SRC is 6 months to 1 year from date of departure. What makes the rule new is the authorization of post-departure renewal or extension beyond the 6-month or 1 year validity of RPs or SRCs that expired while temporarily abroad due to CoViD-19 travel restrictions, though only for still valid visas, and of acceptance of RP and SRC fee payments by BI Cashiers at the arrival airport that enable a foreigner to re-enter Philippines and maintain legal status.

 

Regulations are rapidy changing along with pandemic developments so that amendatory restriction or loosening could be issued from now to November 2021.

According to BI Advisory officially posted on January 27, 2021 at https://immigration.gov.ph/images/Infographics/2021_Yr/01_Jan/2021Jan27_advisory.jpg, USA remains in the list of travel-restricted countries up to January 31, 2021. Today is already 5 March but there is no change so far.

For now, it may interest to verify whether you and your wife are among the category of passengers allowed to travel to or depart from Philippines effective February 1, 2021, as listed at https://immigration.gov.ph/images/Infographics/2021_Yr/01_Jan/Jan_31/2021Jan31_advisory.pdf

In relation to the above authorized list, the Bureau of Immigration posted today a clarificatory Advisory at https://immigration.gov.ph/images/Advisory/2021/03_Mar/001.jpg

 

Who does ?
I really don't think we are supposed to

 

I appreciate your expert knowledge and the time you have taken to provide it here.

 

On March 16, 2021, in light of 5,404 new positive CoViD cases that rank highest among reports in the last 6 months and that include 59 new cases for the UK variant, 32 additional cases for the South African variant, and 1 positive case for the Brazil variant, the IATF issued Memorandum Circular No. 5, s. 2021 to direct all concerned agencies to limit the number of inbound international passengers to 1,500 a day.

The entry of all foreign nationals and returning Philippine citizens who are not Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) is suspended effective March 20, 2021 through April 19, 2021. See https://scontent.fmnl6-1.fna.fbcdn....=ee013e29c53fac6801c5ed8bb9fe3d46&oe=6077891C, and https://scontent.fmnl6-2.fna.fbcdn....=c1a4b0b2eb87053303dbb3c596ae7ef0&oe=60780E69 or https://www.philippineairlines.com/AboutUs/newsandevents/advisory-covid19-17mar21-153