Foreign Nationals Who Hold Special Resident Visas May Enter the Philippines

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) released an advisory on Monday, June 7, allowing foreigners with special resident retiree’s visas (SSRVs) to enter the Philippines. 

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente stated that foreign nationals who were issued an SSRV by the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) will no longer be required to obtain an entry exemption document to enter the country. 

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) permitted the change of the new entry status to SSRV holders, as recommended by the Department of Tourism (DOT).

Morente noted that all other foreigners holding tourist visas are still not permitted to enter the Philippines unless authorized through exemption documents from Philippine foreign posts abroad.

BI Port Operations Division Chief Carlos Capulong added, “All arriving passengers are still required to present their 10-day quarantine hotel or facility booking, except for those who have been fully vaccinated in the Philippines, who would only need to present a seven-day booking.”

Capulong also clarified that those coming from travel restricted countries, namely, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), are still restricted from entering the country until June 15. 

Moreover, Capulong ensured that BI personnel are on standby to service passengers that may arrive through repatriation programs of government or non-government entities for Filipinos coming from the said seven countries.