Philippines Ban Foreigners From Countries with the Covid-19 Variant | Bureau of Immigration Implementation of Expanded Travel Restrictions

UPDATE AS OF 12 JANUARY 2021 

5 Countries added to travel ban list

MANILA, Philippines—The Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced the implementation of the expansion of the travel restrictions to include 5 more countries starting 12:01 PM of Wednesday, January 13.

In a statement, BI Commissioner Jaime Morente shared that they received an order from Malacanang that foreign passengers coming from Pakistan, Jamaica, Luxembourg, Oman, and the People’s Republic of China shall not be allowed to enter the country.

In view of the expanded travel restrictions, foreigners coming from or have been to the five countries within 14 days from their arrival in the Philippines shall be excluded.

“Filipinos will still be allowed entry, subject to a strict 14-day facility-based quarantine, to be implemented by the airport’s one stop shop,” said Morente.

The added restrictions bring the total number of restricted countries to 33.

Earlier, the government imposed a travel ban on travelers from the United Kingdom, Denmark, Ireland, Japan, Australia, Israel, The Netherlands, Hong Kong SAR, Switzerland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Lebanon, Singapore, Sweden, South Korea, South Africa, Canada, Spain, and the United States.

Later included were Portugal, India, Finland, Norway, Jordan, Brazil, and Austria.

“The travel restriction for aliens arriving from these countries will last until January 15, unless otherwise extended or expanded by Malacanang or the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases,” said Morente.

 

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UPDATE AS OF 8 JANUARY 2021

MANILA, Philippines—Foreigners from six more countries with the Covid-19 variant are now banned from entering the Philippines.

Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Jaime Morente said the new restrictions apply for travelers who will arrive from the following countries: Portugal, India, Finland, Norway, Jordan, and Brazil.

"The travel ban to these six countries started today, at midnight," said Morente.

These countries are in addition to the 21 which are subjects of travel restrictions earlier announced by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) in an effort to prevent the entry of travelers infected by the new coronavirus strain.

Morente disclosed that in view of the expanded restrictions, foreign passengers coming from or who have been to the said six countries within 14 days from their arrival in the Philippines shall be prohibited from entering the country beginning January 8 until January 15.

“However, Filipino citizens who have been to these countries within 14 days before arrival in the Philippines shall be allowed entry, but shall be referred to the airport’s one stop shop to undergo a strict 14-day quarantine,” the BI chief added.

Earlier, the government imposed a travel ban on travelers from the United Kingdom, Denmark, Ireland, Japan, Australia, Israel, The Netherlands, Hong Kong SAR, Switzerland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Lebanon, Singapore, Sweden, South Korea, South Africa, Canada, Spain, and the United States.

BI Port Operations Division Chief Atty. Candy Tan, on their part, said that they are ready to implement travel restrictions set by Malacanang.

“We’ve seen very low numbers [of arrivals] during the holiday season, it was a period unlike any other.  We’re expecting even lower numbers during the first quarter of 2021, given the latest development on the new strain of Covid-19,” she shared.

Tan disclosed that no foreign passengers from the additional 6 countries have arrived since the implementation of the expanded travel restriction earlier today.

Meanwhile, the BI clarified that diplomats coming from the 27 restricted countries are allowed to enter the PH.

Tan stated that foreign diplomats and international organizations such as the World Health Organization and the United Nations shall be exempted from the travel restriction.

“Those with valid 9(e) visas may be allowed entry without the need of an exemption or authorization from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).  But those who present a diplomatic, official, or regular passport with no valid 9(e) visa may also be provided entry if they have a valid 9(a) visa and an authorization from the DFA,” Tan stated.

“Apart from foreign diplomats, those who are coming for medical and emergency cases, including their medical escorts, if any, shall also be allowed entry provided that they have an entry visa,” she added.