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Foreigners Allowed to Travel to Philippines 1 May 2021

9K views 50 replies 9 participants last post by  art1946 
#1 ·
#13 ·
While the latest info does not show a requirement to be traveling with a spouse/child Filipino citizen the 9a may not be approved if you don't have them currently in the Philippines. The Embassy will be the approval authority and will determine the requirements I would think. Will this change be beneficial to a tourist wanting to travel, probably not but it may benefit spouses/parents wanting to reunite with family in the Philippines.

Chuck
 
#14 ·
Tourist visa in advance of getting there, WOW! Before they always just stamped my passport for the 21 day stay when I got to the immigration office at the airport. then I would go to the immigration office later in Davao city and get it extended for a 59 day stay.. Now if I send my passport to Washington DC I have to prove income, employer onward ticket and etc. This is a nightmare to get to the Philippines. I guess they don't need the money to keep the economy going.

Art
 
#16 ·
HEY BIDROD ---- READ #5 BELOW

9(A) Temporary Visitor’s Visa


REQUIREMENTS:


  1. Actual passport of applicant (valid at least 6 months from return date) and one (1) photocopy of the data page
  2. Duly-accomplished Non-Immigrant Visa application form, typed or printed legibly in black or blue ink, and notarized if sent by mail
  3. Travel Itinerary (applicant must be a holder of a roundtrip/onward flight ticket out of the Philippines)
  4. One (1) colored photo, 2” x 2”, taken within six months before the date of application, showing a clear front view of applicant’s face, with a white background. No sleeveless attire. Blurred or low quality photos are not accepted.
  5. Proof of Financial Capacity (photocopy of latest bank statement and an employment certificate from the employer indicating position and salary, or affidavit of support), for Tourist Visa (for pleasure only).
  6. Letter from employer or sponsor of the trip, indicating its specific purpose or nature and length of stay (inclusive dates) in the Philippines, for Tourist Visa (for business only).
  7. For minor visa applicants (below 18) traveling on their own, affidavit of support and guarantee from either parent, as well as photocopy of parent's bank statement.
  8. Self-addressed return envelope, with appropriate stamps for express or priority mail with tracking numbers via US Postal Service, or with pre-paid mailing envelope from private courier of choice (except FedEx), if Passport with Visa is to be mailed back.
  9. Visa fee, according to fee schedule below (non-refundable), payable in cash or money order made payable to "Embassy of the Philippines" (or "Philippine Consulate General", if application is made at one of the Philippine Consulates General in the U.S.). Personal checks and credit cards are not accepted. An additonal service fee of $10 per document will be charged for requests for expedited release.

Art
 
#18 · (Edited)
for Tourist Visa (for business only).
Also, they are charging to get this visas stamped into the passport from Washington DC. I never paid before when coming to the Philippines. they just stamped my passport for a 21 day stay. When I went to the Davao office to get it extended then I had to pay.

Art
You need to show financial capacity....if employed show that if retired show the income from that. You are applying for a Visa in advance versus the Visa on arrival you previously got so it is a different procedure plus the Visa in advance is for 59 days not 30 days which the Visa on arrival was. Don't know when you last came to the country but the time frame has been 30 days not 21 days since about 2010. My feeling is unless you have family in the Philippines at this time a 9a is not going ro be approved just to visit as a tourist at this time.

Chuck
 
#17 ·
Also, they are charging to get this visas stamped into the passport from Washington DC. I never paid before when coming to the Philippines. they just stamped my passport for a 21 day stay. When I went to the Davao office to get it extended then I had to pay.

Art
 
#19 ·
Its something that " looks like" a big announcement but its nothing more than the situation was in April 1-14 before we had MECQW NCR BUbble Pro Plus for 14 days. Now they have reverted to the same conditions as early April. 1500 pax arriving isnt a great deal and you do know that is you number 1500 and a Filipino is 1501.... your places will be switched. Priorities for their own nationals apply.
Re SRRV... its not anything that wasnt in place previuosly... no exit no re entry then no travelling. And exit re entry approvals are as rare at moment as hens teeth. sayang....
 
#20 · (Edited)
hey Chuck

Oh I didn't know the advance visas approval was for 59 days. That is the reason for the charge. That makes sense now. I left in 2012 . I lived in Tagum City just outside of Davao city. I am going to check my passport. I thought it was for 21 days. Then I went to Davao City to get it extended for the 59 days more. that put me almost 3 months of approval.

i checked my passport and I arrived June 28, 2011 and and had to depart Jul 19, 2011. that is 21 days without my 59 day extension. I stayed there until 2012 and then left. I had to do a couple extensions.

They must have changed the days after I left from 21 to 30 days for visas.

Art
 
#24 ·
I thought a tourist had to leave and return after a year and start over again for a maximum of 3 years.Has things changed again? When I was there living in 2011 I stayed for 8 months with no problem. Just had to extend my visa. A retirement visa requires a tourist to deposit $10,000 into an approved account if they have a monthly retirement of at least $800. I get $1600 a month in SS benefits.

I wonder if they will go back to the norm after the virus has been contained? It was nice getting the passport stamped for 21 days at entry. then a tourist had time to extend the 59 day visa. Can a person extend the 3 years all at once or has this been discontinued?

art
 
#25 ·
I thought a tourist had to leave and return after a year and start over again for a maximum of 3 years.Has things changed again? When I was there living in 2011 I stayed for 8 months with no problem. Just had to extend my visa. A retirement visa requires a tourist to deposit $10,000 into an approved account if they have a monthly retirement of at least $800. I get $1600 a month in SS benefits.

I wonder if they will go back to the norm after the virus has been contained? It was nice getting the passport stamped for 21 days at entry. then a tourist had time to extend the 59 day visa. Can a person extend the 3 years all at once or has this been discontinued?

art
A 9a(tourist) can extend for a total of 36 months before leaving and then return and do it over again and again. Extensions can be in 1 or 2 month increments and some offices can issue 6 months. SRRV({retirement) has different cost for the different categories cheapest being $1500 deposit for Mil Vets,
 
#33 ·
More confusing info:

02 May 2021
PRESS RELEASE

Foreign tourists still banned from PH, BI reminds public

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) reminded the public that foreign tourists are still banned from entering the Philippines despite the lifting of certain travel restrictions that took effect Saturday.

In a statement, BI Commissioner Jaime Morente stressed that only foreigners with valid and existing visas are currently allowed to enter the country.

“Foreign tourists are still prohibited from entering the country and said restriction remains effective until it is lifted by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) ” Morente said.

He explained that the country only reverted to implementing the travel international guidelines that existed prior to March 22 when the government reimposed a ban on the entry of all foreigners due to recent spike in COVID-19 cases in the country.

“The recent easing of travel restrictions applies only to those aliens who were allowed to come here before March 22 and they should have valid and existing visas at the time of their arrival in our ports of entry,” the BI chief added.

The BI earlier announced that starting May 1 aliens with existing immigrant and non-immigrant visas may again enter the country.

Exempted from the visa requirement are the foreign spouse and children of Balikbayans or returning Filipinos and former Filipinos who are travelling with the latter.

Foreigners who are holders of valid and existing Special Resident and Retirees Visa (SRRV) or Section 9(a) temporary visitors’ visas may be allowed entry, provided they present an entry exemption document from the Department of Foreign Affairs upon arrival.

Execept for foreign diplomats and members of international organizations, all foreign travelers are required to present a pre-booked accommodation for at least seven nights in an accredited quarantine hotel of facility where they will be tested for COVID-19 on the sixth day from date of their arrival.

The BI also emphasied that following the IATF-MEID, travellers who came from India or have a travel history to India within the last 14 days preceding their arrival are banned from entering the country until May 14.
See Less

Chuck
 
#37 · (Edited)
It's great news that the PRA have opened up the SRRV program again for the over 50's, common sense won the day.

art, as for getting a retirement visa (SRRV) it has to be done in country, tourist, Balakbayan, marriage visa (13a), SIRV, already accomplished and from memory Manila and Cebu process this visa, others can let us know of other offices processing this visa.
Chuck (above) posted the link and needs to be reviewed and digested, lots of paperwork involved.
Only a suggestion but if you are keen to come back to PH. why not contact the Philippines consulate in the States and see what's required and go from there. Let us know what you discover.
Good luck and happy hunting.

Cheers, Steve.
 
#39 ·
I received this message from the embassy in Washington DC today about the SRRV visa.


Issuance of SRRV visa is now suspended.

Please be informed that entry of foreign nationals/tourists remains suspended. Only foreign spouses of Filipino nationals or parents of minor Filipino nationals (17 yrs and below) are exempted from the travel ban and will need to apply for a visa to travel to the Philippines at this time.





Visa Section
Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines
Washington DC, USA




It seems no tourist are allowed into the Philippines at this time. they did not say when tourist will be allowed back into the country.

Art
 

Attachments

#40 ·
It seems no tourist are allowed into the Philippines at this time. they did not say when tourist will be allowed back into the country.
I was looking for the government post I saw on Facebook, but cannot find it. They posted to clarify the point that opening the entry to foreigners did not include tourists yet.
There seemed to be some misunderstanding of their terribly worded press release... 😎
 
#45 ·
art, the SRRV is only issued in country (Philippines) by the PRA in conjunction with immi once they process the paperwork, lots and lots.
Many applying for this visa come in on a tourist visa, extend to 59 days as the PRA take and hold your passport with your paperwork for the duration of the process.

From what I have read even those that currently hold a valid Retirement Visa that are out of the Philippines have not been able to return over the last 12 months, perhaps a more learned member can clarify if I'm off track here.

Let's hope they reopen the tourism borders soon art as I'm sure there are plenty trying to get back.

Cheers, Steve.
 
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