Fully vaccinated foreigners allowed 16 February

Okie... yea I saw that myself .. but you know that can take a left turn real quick.. we shall see.   Here the link if anyone is interest or can enlighten with further details...

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1165425

Just to provide some clarification on that, tourist visas are still not being issued and tourists are still prohibited from entering the Philippines regardless of vaccination status.  The change for Feb 16 applies to specific categories. Per the article... "Only a small demographic of foreigners can currently visit the Philippines, and from February, they will need to be fully vaccinated. This includes people with pre-existing visas, those registered under the Balikbayan Programme as former Filipino citizens, their foreign spouses or children and those with a special resident or retiree visa or an entry exemption document issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs".

Yes.. I didn't see anything stating that borders are open to tourist anywhere....

👍🏻

Check this link... https://www.thenationalnews.com/travel/ … utType=amp

From the same link:

Only a small demographic of foreigners can currently visit the Philippines, and from February, they will need to be fully vaccinated. This includes people with pre-existing visas, those registered under the Balikbayan Programme as former Filipino citizens, their foreign spouses or children and those with a special resident or retiree visa or an entry exemption document issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

At least it is a move forward, I can't see tourest being allowed in the Philippines for quite sometime, strange to be one of the few foreigners going around Davao, I keep a small apartment in Davao city so when I want to get out of the province I have a place, it rents for 3000 a month less than I would spend on a hotel, lot of empty real estate now apartments and rooms

Okieboy wrote:

At least it is a move forward, I can't see tourest being allowed in the Philippines for quite sometime, strange to be one of the few foreigners going around Davao, I keep a small apartment in Davao city so when I want to get out of the province I have a place, it rents for 3000 a month less than I would spend on a hotel, lot of empty real estate now apartments and rooms

P3000 a month?  What a bargain!

February 16th is just a line in the sand, it's not etched in granite, come the 16th a new line will be drawn in the sand.

Info on Covid and the disease itself takes turns, twists and back tracts. Seldom is anyone completely correct on their prognosis. Just when the experts think they see the light at the end of the tunnel, it's Covid.

Help me understand the purpose of this thread.
This is all about health considerations, isn't?
Because the rules for entry (visas) are still the same: No tourists.

I don't see any difference in a vaccinated tourest and a vaccinated BB stamp holder,  the Philippines will be the last country on earth to open, maybe when Duterte is gone

Haha, i think i agree.
Now the only difference is that one can enter, the orher one cannot.
Have you seen the fares into manila?

Gardo Fuentes wrote:

P3000 a month?  What a bargain!

I know of such price level in Puerto Princesa too for foreigners too.
And in Olongapo 2500p per month a few years ago, but she is Filipina.

The allowance to come back to the Country is for Nationals and NO new VISA"s are being issued my the Embassy.
This message sent is misleading and everyone should know what the content really is before getting excited.

Agree, but it is nationals and a well defined group of others such as, but not limited to people with pre-existing visa, such as SRRV and similar, married to nationals and 9a tourist visa in combination with EED.
NO visa on arrival, NO tourists.

Yes you are correct I just did not list all the exceptions noted. Thank you for paper training me.

There are some rentals even less, but I wanted in a certain area, the Bankerohan market is close to me I can also walk to bus terminal one ride to my home in the province 54 peso

REALLY? can you send me the article? The facebook BI page still says no 9a Visas without Entry Exemption Document banned.

No tourists are allowed. A misleading title. It should have read:

Only vaccinated foreigners will be allowed in. No tourists, yet.

They are talking about foreign nationals with pre-existing visas (13A, 9A, etc.). The change is that even those in red listed countries can now come as long as they have valid and pre-exisiting visas. Previously, if your country was red listed you could not come in under any circusmstances. They are NOT talking about issuing new visas and opening the door to tourists. It would be physically impossible to open to tourists as long as they continue the arrival quarantine policies. Every hotel in every major city in the country is already overflowing with just OFWs and balikbayans because they all have to quarantine for 6 to 9 days waiting for PCR test results when they arrive. In addition, there is an arrival cap at NAIA of 3,000 per day (Cebu is just 400). That cap is far too low for even the number of OFWs who want to come home, let alone any tourists.  There is physically no possibility to allow more to enter until those restrictions are lifted.

Then tell PH govt officials to lift the f'n restrictions! Omicron has less severe effects than Delta ever did. Unless govt officials n politicians want the country to stay bankrupt indefinitely!  😞

Harbred6051 wrote:

Then tell PH govt officials to lift the *** restrictions! Omicron has less severe effects than Delta ever did. Unless govt officials n politicians want the country to stay bankrupt indefinitely!  😞

I gather the Philippines has banned visitors from countries with serious omicron issues. The US, according to the limited info I found, has a pretty big problem at the moment.
The above is open to correction but that appears to be the case.

Regardless, the only way to solve your issue is take out local citizenship, become a politician, then get the law changed.

Hope soon... Been waiting almost 2 years.

jwschmidt wrote:

They are talking about foreign nationals with pre-existing visas (13A, 9A, etc.). The change is that even those in red listed countries can now come as long as they have valid and pre-exisiting visas. Previously, if your country was red listed you could not come in under any circusmstances. They are NOT talking about issuing new visas and opening the door to tourists. It would be physically impossible to open to tourists as long as they continue the arrival quarantine policies. Every hotel in every major city in the country is already overflowing with just OFWs and balikbayans because they all have to quarantine for 6 to 9 days waiting for PCR test results when they arrive. In addition, there is an arrival cap at NAIA of 3,000 per day (Cebu is just 400). That cap is far too low for even the number of OFWs who want to come home, let alone any tourists.  There is physically no possibility to allow more to enter until those restrictions are lifted.

I am not sure if the special bb flights are included.

Hi going to post some advice here for any foreigners coming to the PI from US.  My Filipina wife and my 12yo daughter arrived in Manila on 01/05/22. We are all fully vaccinated and both me and the wife had our boosters. (Pfizer/Moderna). We had a negative RTPCR test prior to arrival. We quarantined for 5 days at the Manila Conrad. We stayed a few more days In Manila so my wife could complete our daughters application for dual citizenship at the immigration office. We then flew to Cebu to start the process of hiring a contractor, Engineer to repair the extensive damage caused to our Ocean Front home in Argao by the recent typhoon. We were supposed to fly back to the US today via PAL to MNL and JAL the rest of the way. We got our Rapid Antigen test results back in 3 hours.  My wife was negative. I and my daughter positive. We are staying at a hotel in Cebu. We of course had to rebook our flight. We took another RTPCR test today and are waiting on the results. If still positive we will have to quarantine for another 7 days and then apply for a medical certificate authorization to fly.  We will then get another rapid test 24 hrs to our new flight date of Feb4th. All of this is going to cost us a lot of $ so be aware and be flexible knowing that this could happen to you too.  A bunch of my wife’s relatives are also positive despite being fully vaccinated with Moderna, Pfizer and Sinovac. When you read on the internet that breakthrough cases only involve 1-5000 people take that with a grain of sand. The reinfection rate is much higher. Luckily none of us are very ill and did not require medical care. Felt like getting the flu.  Funny enough all 3 of us also got the flu shot prior to coming to the PI. Hope this info helps!

Literally all of my vaxed friends as well as unvaccinated have all been tested positive and all except one (vaccinated) have fully recovered this last 3 - 4 weeks... this omicron Variant is the expected culprit with us all... From the sounds of it, the vaccines do zero to protect anyone from sharing it, but sounds like possible benefits with less sickness I guess... as all of us were sick in the same way with flu like symptoms... the worst was the first 4 or so days... then completely recovered after about 6 to 8 days.   Thankfully.  I think Omicron is a blessing personally... because everyone is getting exposed and will carry the Antibodies, which will help with subsequent Variants in the future.  I fully expect this to now be the new normal.  We All need to live with it whether vaccinated or not.   I personally never get the flu shot... well... not never... maybe have 2 or 3 times in my 53 years... and honestly I feel like when I did get the shot..  I also got the flu... lol .. probably coincidence... but I also know the flu shot is a shot in the dark as far as what strain is the dominant one for the year... Anyways... Yes... When in the Philippines... or traveling anywhere... Always prepare for the unexpecte. Sorry to hear about your place in Cebu area... I plan to get a  nice  ocean view or ocean front when I can finally return to Phil... I am personally looking at the Dipolog area on Mindanao.  Take Care My Friends!

Ladies and Gentlemen
Does anyone have updates on allowing tourists to enter philippines on tourist visa?  Last time I visited my newly built house was 2 years ago..I am a British citizen and I normally come as a tourist for 2 weeks every 6 months? 
Thanks
Dodi

Yeh open to international tourists from tomorrow. Air fares are a bit pricey though at the moment and I would appreciate it if you find any good deals, letting me know. Can I also ask you which part of the UK you are currently in please? I live on the outskirts of Bradford so Leeds/Bradford is my local airport just 5 miles away although I have always flow to the Philippines from Manchester.

Just arrived in Manila. .. And transfered to Terminal 3 to fly to Dipolog... Passport only... Not bad... need your vaccination card, proof of covid insurance(minimum 35k), Need to register on the Philippines health pass at https://u8616368.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/cli … M0Cg-3D-3D
And you have to have the "traze" contact tracing app installed on your phone... although they never said to have it turned on... lol... anyways...  cheers 🍻 to finally returning here to Philippines... long wait.

What about the the ticket for another destination within 30 days from arrival? Did they ask you for that too?

Hi cherryann,  I live in Manchester

Ahh so you will also be looking for flights from the north, that is good to know. I usually start looking at flight from Manchester then compare the prices with what it would cost from Leeds/Bradford.

Anyone have any insight into all the local regional barriers to travel. Would not be good to not be able to go anywhere. Thanks

Oh yes... need return ticket within 30 days also... yes.

Some cities require antigen test to enter... otherwise you need letter acceptance from the iatf of the city you are in(no charge)... need proof of residency to apply for the letter... Every city is different the more I look... we are gonna travel around... so preparing all this bullshit now... lol... yes... its bullshit.  Covid is everywhere... no point in any of these things...

Hello, do you know if it's possible to extend the staying for more than 30 days? After you get in with a ticket within 30 days can you extend or you have to leave no matter what after 30 days?

Yes.. We confirmed that you can... same as before at the Embassy

Wellsfry wrote:

Yes.. We confirmed that you can... same as before at the Embassy

Do you have official source?
Not many days ago not even officials knew.