February 5 ------ The government’s pandemic task force has updated the arrival protocols initially set for foreigners who want to enter the Philippines for business and tourism purposes starting February 10, 2022. Based on Resolution No. 160-B of the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, fully vaccinated foreign nationals may enter the Philippines without visas provided that they qualify as former Filipino citizens with Balikbayan privilege. They are also allowed to enter the Philippines if they are citizens of any of the 157 countries entitled to a stay not exceeding 30 days. These are:
1. Andorra
2. Angola
3. Antigua and Barbuda
4. Argentina
5. Australia
6. Austria
7. Bahamas
8. Bahrain
9. Barbados
10. Belgium
11. Belize
12. Benin
13. Bhutan
14. Bolivia
15. Botswana
16. Brazil (up to 59 days)
17. Brunei Darussalam
18. Bulgaria
19. Burkina Faso
20. Burundi
21. Cambodia
22. Cameroon
23. Canada
24. Cape Verde
25. Central African Republic
26. Chad
27. Chile
28. Colombia
29. Comoros
30. Congo
31. Costa Rica
32. Cote d’Ivoire
33. Croatia
34. Cyprus
35. Czech Republic
36. Democratic Republic of the Congo
37. Denmark
38. Djibouti
39. Dominica
40. Dominican Republic
41. Ecuador
42. El Salvador
43. Equatorial Guinea
44. Eritrea
45. Estonia
46. Ethiopia
47. Fiji
48. Finland
49. France
50. Gabon
51. Gambia
52. Germany
53. Ghana
54. Greece
55. Grenada
56. Guatemala
57. Guinea
58. Guinea Bissau
59. Guyana
60. Haiti
61. Honduras
62. Hungary
63. Iceland
64. Indonesia
65. Ireland
66. Israel (up to 59 days)
67. Italy
68. Jamaica
69. Japan
70. Kazakhstan
71. Kenya
72. Kiribati
73. Kuwait
74. Kyrgyzstan
75. Lao People’s Democratic Republic
76. Latvia
77. Lesotho
78. Liberia
79. Liechtenstein
80. Lithuania
81. Luxembourg
82. Madagascar
83. Malawi
84. Malaysia
85. Maldives
86. Mali
87. Malta
88. Marshall Islands
89. Mauritania
90. Mauritius
91. Mexico
92. Micronesia
93. Monaco
94. Mongolia
95. Morocco
96. Mozambique
97. Myanmar
98. Namibia
99. Nepal
100. Netherlands
101. New Zealand
102. Nicaragua
103. Niger
104. Norway
105. Oman
106. Palau
107. Panama
108. Papua New Guinea
109. Paraguay
110. Peru
111. Poland
112. Portugal
113. Qatar
114. Republic of Korea
115. Romania
116. Russia
117. Rwanda
118. Saint Kitts and Nevis
119. Saint Lucia
120. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
121. Samoa
122. San Marino
123. Sao Tome and Principe
124. Saudi Arabia
125. Senegal
126. Seychelles
127. Singapore
128. Slovak Republic
129. Slovenia
130. Solomon Islands
131. South Africa
132. Spain
133. Suriname
134. Swaziland
135. Sweden
136. Switzerland
137. Tajikistan
138. Thailand
139. Togo
140. Trinidad and Tobago
141. Tunisia
142. Turkey
143. Turkmenistan
144. Tuvalu
145. Uganda
146. United Arab Emirates
147. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
148. United Republic of Tanzania
149. United States of America
150. Uruguay
151. Uzbekistan
152. Vanuatu
153. Vatican
154. Venezuela
155. Vietnam
156. Zambia
157. Zimbabwe
Foreign travelers must be fully vaccinated except children below 12 years old. They must carry any of the following proofs of vaccination:
• World Health Organization (WHO) International Certificates of Vaccination and Prophylaxis
• VaxCertPH
• National/state digital certificate of the foreign gov’t which recognizes VaxCertPH
• Other proofs of vaccination permitted by the IATF
The passenger must also have a passport valid for at least six months at the time of their arrival, and valid return tickets or tickets for the country of their next destination. Prior to their travel, they are required to obtain travel insurance for COVID-19 treatment costs from reputable insurers, with a minimum coverage of US$35,000 for the duration of their stay in the Philippines.
Foreign visitors are deemed fully vaccinated if they received the second dose in a two-dose series or a single dose vaccine more than 14 days prior to their flight to the Philippines. Their vaccine must be included in the emergency use listing of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the local Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or issued a compassionate special permit by the Philippine FDA.
Visa-free foreign nationals who fail to fully comply with the conditions and requisites shall be denied admission into the country and shall be subject to the appropriate exclusion proceedings. However, once allowed entry, they are no longer required to observe facility-based quarantine but must self-monitor for symptoms for seven days. They must report to the local government unit (LGU) of their destination should they manifest symptoms.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles has clarified that “self-monitor” does not mean “home quarantine”. Meanwhile, foreign children below the age of 12 but are traveling with Filipino nationals shall follow the protocols of their travel companion. A foreign child from ages 12 to 17 traveling with their Filipino parent shall follow the protocol based on their vaccination status. However, if the child is unvaccinated, one parent should accompany the child during their facility-based quarantine.
9(a) visa bearers
On the other hand, foreigners with 9(a) visas (a tourist visa for pleasure or business) will be allowed to enter the country if they are fully vaccinated, except children below the age of 12. They must carry acceptable proof of vaccination and a negative RT-PCR test taken within 48 hours prior to their flight. These passengers will not be required to undergo facility quarantine but must self-monitor for symptoms.
Foreign nationals who fail to comply with the conditions must undergo facility-based quarantine and undergo testing on the fifth day. They may be discharged upon the release of a negative result but must complete the rest of their 14-day quarantine at home.
Source: mb.com.ph
Comments