(Eagle News)–The Bureau of Immigration has ordered the blacklisting of 11 Chinese nationals for overstaying in the country.
Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said the 11–who had been granted a visa upon arrival and had been overstaying for nine to ten months— were also ordered to leave the country and were meted out fines and penalties.
Under the rules, VUA grantees are not allowed to extend their stay beyond 30 days.
“These aliens are now barred from re-entering the Philippines for violating the conditions of their stay,” Morente said.
The VUA program, which the government launched three years ago to attract Chinese tourists and tour groups, allows them to travel to the Philippines without the need to apply for visas at Phillippine consulates in their places of origin.
VUA grantees apply for the scheme through tour operators accredited by the Department of Tourism.
The bureau, however, suspended the implementation of the VUA in January, with the onset of the Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan and other places in China.
The scheme is still suspended.
