(Eagle News) — Foreigners can’t enter the Philippines without their Filipino kin during the travel ban.
The Bureau of Immigration issued the clarification following reports some foreign nationals were denied entry at the airports for attempting to come to the country without their Filipino spouse, children, or parent.
According to Bureau Commissioner Jaime Morente, existing guidelines on international travel set by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases do not allow the entry of foreign parents, spouses and children of Filipinos if they are travelling alone during the ban that took effect on March 22.
The ban is expected to end on April 21.
Morente said the bureau should likewise possess valid visas secured in the country’s foreign posts abroad to be able to enter the country.
He added that the Balikbayan privilege, which allows the visa-free entry of foreign spouses and children of Filipinos, remains suspended.
Morente said that airlines and ships have the obligation to ensure that only foreigners eligible to enter the country during the implementation of the travel restrictions are allowed to board their Philippine-bound flights.
The IATF also ordered a reduction in the number of inbound international travelers to only 1,500 a day, as the Philippines faced a surge in COVID-19 cases.
