Foreign spouses, children and parents of Filipino citizens who are travelling to the Philippines as tourists to visit their kin will no longer be required to present entry exemption documents (EED), the Bureau of Immigration said.
BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said the new policy is in compliance with the latest resolution of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infection Diseases (IATF) which eased the entry travel requirements for foreigners related by marriage or filiation to Filipinos.
Previously, these aliens were allowed entry into the Philippines only if they had valid 9(a) tourist visas as well as an EED issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) through its various embassies or consulates abroad.
Those who fail to secure and present either one of the two documents are excluded and turned back upon arrival at the ports of entry.
Under the new IATF resolution, foreign spouses, children and parents of Filipinos will only be required to present 9(a) tourist visas beginning on Saturday.
The IATF, however, instructed the DFA to include in the visa of said aliens the notation: “EED not required per IATF Resolution No. 128 (s.2021).”
“We welcome this latest ruling of the IATF as it will now be easier and convenient for foreigners whose Filipino spouses and children are currently in the Philippines to visit and reunite with their loved ones,” Morente said.
The BI chief stressed that the new travel guidelines apply only to foreigners who are not accompanied by their Filipino spouses or Filipino parents in going to the Philippines.
“Foreigners who are traveling with their Filipino spouses or parents are eligible for the Balikbayan program and they may be admitted visa-free for a one-year stay,” Morente said.
He explained that those who are not traveling with their Filipino principal must apply for a 9(a) tourist visa from a Philippine consulate abroad, which they would use for entry to the Philippines.
BI Port Operations Division Chief Atty. Carlos Capulong reminded that while the exemption on alien families of Filipinos has been loosened, the ban for those coming from 10 countries due to the Covid-19 Delta variant remains.
“Those coming from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand are still not allowed to enter the country,” said Capulong. “This includes those who have a travel history to said countries within the last 14 days from their date of arrival,” he added.
Said travel ban, said Capulong, remains in effect until July 31, unless extended or expanded by the IATF.