Philippines: Foreign Nationals with Long-Term Visas Allowed Entry into the Philippines beginning 1 August 2020

In brief

On 16 July 2020, the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) released Resolution No. 56, s. 2020, permitting foreign nationals with long-term visas to enter the Philippines beginning 1 August 2020. A copy of Resolution No. 56 may be accessed here.


Contents

These "long-term visas" refer to immigrant or permanent visas, as follows:

  1. Immigrant Visas issued under Section 13 of CA 613 visas. Examples are those issued to the spouse or unmarried child under twenty-one years of age of a Philippine citizen and former natural born citizens of the Philippines.
  2. Visas granted under RA 7919 (The Alien Social Integration Act of 1995) to qualified foreign nationals who have entered the country prior to 30 June 1992.
  3. Legal residence granted under EO 324 for qualified foreign nationals who entered the Philippines before 1 January 1984.

These exceptions under Resolution No. 56 are in addition to the following foreign nationals who are currently allowed entry into the Philippines:

  1. Holders of visas granted under MCL-07-021 (Chinese nationals married to Philippine citizens) and MCL-08-003 (South Korean nationals married to Philippine citizens)
  2. Holders of 9(e), Temporary Resident Visas, and 13(a) visas
  3. Foreign spouses and children of Filipino nationals
  4. Foreign government and international organization officials accredited to the Philippines (diplomatic visas); and
  5. Foreign crew members

Conclusions

The general restrictions on incoming foreign nationals is still in place, subject to the exceptions listed above. The holders of non-immigrant, tourist, business and work visas are still not allowed entry into the Philippines.

Foreign nationals who are not covered by the exceptions should consider postponing travel to the Philippines.

*Authored by Quisumbing Torres, a member firm of Baker & McKenzie International, a Swiss Verein. Please contact QTInfoDesk@quisumbingtorres.com for inquiries.

Contact Information
Miguel Antonio H. Galvez
Partner and Head, Immigration
Quisumbing Torres, Manila
miguel.galvez@quisumbingtorres.com
Rafael Roman T. Cruz
Associate, Immigration
Quisumbing Torres, Manila
rafaelroman.cruz@quisumbingtorres.com

Copyright © 2023 Baker & McKenzie. All rights reserved. Ownership: This documentation and content (Content) is a proprietary resource owned exclusively by Baker McKenzie (meaning Baker & McKenzie International and its member firms). The Content is protected under international copyright conventions. Use of this Content does not of itself create a contractual relationship, nor any attorney/client relationship, between Baker McKenzie and any person. Non-reliance and exclusion: All Content is for informational purposes only and may not reflect the most current legal and regulatory developments. All summaries of the laws, regulations and practice are subject to change. The Content is not offered as legal or professional advice for any specific matter. It is not intended to be a substitute for reference to (and compliance with) the detailed provisions of applicable laws, rules, regulations or forms. Legal advice should always be sought before taking any action or refraining from taking any action based on any Content. Baker McKenzie and the editors and the contributing authors do not guarantee the accuracy of the Content and expressly disclaim any and all liability to any person in respect of the consequences of anything done or permitted to be done or omitted to be done wholly or partly in reliance upon the whole or any part of the Content. The Content may contain links to external websites and external websites may link to the Content. Baker McKenzie is not responsible for the content or operation of any such external sites and disclaims all liability, howsoever occurring, in respect of the content or operation of any such external websites. Attorney Advertising: This Content may qualify as “Attorney Advertising” requiring notice in some jurisdictions. To the extent that this Content may qualify as Attorney Advertising, PRIOR RESULTS DO NOT GUARANTEE A SIMILAR OUTCOME. Reproduction: Reproduction of reasonable portions of the Content is permitted provided that (i) such reproductions are made available free of charge and for non-commercial purposes, (ii) such reproductions are properly attributed to Baker McKenzie, (iii) the portion of the Content being reproduced is not altered or made available in a manner that modifies the Content or presents the Content being reproduced in a false light and (iv) notice is made to the disclaimers included on the Content. The permission to re-copy does not allow for incorporation of any substantial portion of the Content in any work or publication, whether in hard copy, electronic or any other form or for commercial purposes.