The Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced that starting June 1, it will no longer allow the entry of foreign nationals who present entry exemption documents (EEDs) issued by Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) before February 8 this year.
Morente said the BI will implement the said travel guidelines pursuant to a communication received from the DFA.
“We were informed by the DFA that entry exemption documents now have a validity of 90 days from the date of issuance,” said Morente. “As an effect, we were informed that all issued before February 8 are deemed expired by June 1,” he added.
Thus, aliens who are still holding said EEDs that remain unused must enter the country on or before May 31.
Meanwhile, Atty. Carlos Capulong, BI Port Operations Division Chief, disclosed that entry exemptions issued by the National Task Force Against Covid-19 (NTF) during the travel ban from March 22 to April 30 may still be used until May 31.
Aliens with old, unused entry exemptions docs considered expired starting June 1 – BI
He said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID), in a resolution passed on earlier this month, ruled that entry exemptions issued by the NTF shall be recognized as valid until May 31.
Capulong reiterated that in compliance to the IATF-MEID resolution, all 9(a) visa holders, as well Special Resident Retirees Visa (SRRV) holders, are required to secure entry exemptions from the DFA to be allowed entry into the Philippines.
Meanwhile, Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said the downsizing of the BI’s operations is in compliance with the resolution of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID), placing the NCR Plus area bubble under general community quarantine with heightened restrictions.
The IATF directed all government offices in the said areas to maintain a skeleton workforce of up to a maximum of 50 percent of their operational capacity.
Thus, Morente said the BI main bldg. In Intramuros, Manila and its satellite and extension offices in the NCR Plus will operate from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.