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Updated Advisory: Traveling to the Philippines and the U.S.

Updated Advisory: Travel to the Philippines and the U.S.
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TRAVELING TO THE PHILIPPINES

Since April 1, the Philippines has been open to all fully vaccinated foreign tourists. They won’t be required to quarantine anymore.

Children below 12 years old do not need to be fully vaccinated.

Those who have been vaccinated need to carry an acceptable proof of vaccination and their passport, valid for a period of at least 6 months at the time of their arrival to the Philippines.

Fully vaccinated individuals still need to provide a negative RT-PCR test, but if they have received at least one booster shot, they no longer need to present this.

A Bureau of Quarantines (BOQ) e-Health Declaration Card (e-HDC) is still required to be filled up upon arrival. This includes children.

It can be filled up three days in advance of your departure through the BOQ’s One Health Pass webpage.

Save a copy of the transaction number and QR code, which will be required by Philippine immigration authorities.

Unvaccinated and partially vaccinated travelers are still required to quarantine and are required to obtain travel insurance which covers treatment costs for COVID-19 from a “reputable insurance provider.” The requirements state that the plan must provide a minimum coverage of $35,000 USD for the duration of their stay in the country.

For local government rules, make sure to check the alert level of the city or municipality you are going to, so that you avoid any challenges for entering their territories.

All local governments as of the end of June are still at most on Alert Level 2, which means the vaccinated would only need proof of vaccination before entry in local areas if ever they are stopped at a checkpoint.

Most of the time, no one is stopped anyway, but it would be prudent to have your proof of vaccination ready.

TRAVELING TO THE UNITED STATES

As of June 12, the United States CDC no longer required travelers into the states to present a negative COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19.

Proof of vaccination is still required for non-US citizen nonimmigrants.

Non-immigrant and non-US citizen travelers still need to be fully vaccinated and must show proof of this before boarding the plane to the US.

Check the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website for additional information and our Health Alert.

The CDC will consider exceptions to COVID-19-related vaccination and testing requirements on an extremely limited basis. 

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Updated Advisory: Traveling to the Philippines and the U.S.

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Traveling to the Philippines

According to the guidance issued by the Philippines Bureau of Immigration (BI), individuals in the following categories should be allowed to enter the Philippines, subject to the maximum capacity of inbound passengers at the port and date of entry, until further notice:

  1. Foreign nationals with valid and existing visas at the time of entry;
  2. Foreign nationals allowed entry under the Balikbayan Program (RA6788), provided they are nationals from non-visa-required countries under Executive Order 408:
    • Former Filipino citizens, together with their foreign spouses and children, regardless of age, who are travelling with the former Filipino citizens; and
    • Filipino citizens’ spouses and children, regardless of age, who are travelling with the Filipino citizen.
  3. Foreign nationals who are holders of valid and existing Special Resident Retiree’s Visas (SRRV), may be allowed entry without the need for an Entry Exemption Document (EED).
  4. Foreign nationals who are holders of valid and existing 9(a) or Temporary Visitor’s Visas, provided they present, upon arrival, an EED issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

Except for Section 9(e) visa holders who are covered by different testing and quarantine protocols, the entry of all other foreign nationals shall be subject to the following conditions:

  • With pre-booked accommodation for at least ten nights in a quarantine hotel/facility; and
  • Subject to COVID-19 testing at the quarantine hotel/facility on the seventh day from date of arrival.

Arriving passengers who are fully vaccinated in the Philippines shall be required to undergo a seven-day facility-based quarantine upon arrival, with the day of arrival being the first day.

A fully vaccinated individual must carry his or her vaccination card, which must be verified prior to departure, as far as practicable. This document must be presented to the dedicated Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) representative for verification at the Department of Transportation One-Stop-Shop (OSS) upon arrival in the Philippines.

Traveling to the United States

All airline passengers traveling to the United States, including U.S. citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs), are required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 viral test or recovery from COVID-19.

Effective January 26, 2021 all airline passengers to the United States ages two years and older must provide either a negative COVID-19 viral test taken within three calendar days of travel or provide a positive test result and documentation from a licensed health care provider or public health official of having recovered from COVID-19 in the 90 days preceding travel.  Passengers must also attest, under penalty of law, to having received a negative qualifying test result or to recovery from COVID-19 and medical clearance to travel.   

Airlines must deny boarding to passengers who do not meet these requirements.   U.S. citizens in countries where adequate COVID-19 testing is not available or may not be able to satisfy the requirements, should depart immediately or prepare to be unable to return to the United States until such time as they can meet the requirements.    

(This update is current as of June 4, 2021.)

Categories
Updates

Updated Advisory: Traveling to the Philippines and the U.S.

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Traveling to the Philippines

The Philippine government has suspended the entry of all foreign nationals with certain exemptions through April 21, 2021. In addition, the number of inbound international passengers has been limited to 1,500 per day.

As per the latest directive from the National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF), only the following foreign nationals may be allowed to enter the Philippines during the period 22 March – 21 April 2021:

  1. Holders of 9(e) or 47(a)(2) visas;
  2. Foreign nationals for medical repatriation and their escort/s duly endorsed by the Department of Foreign Affairs-Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (DFA-OUMWA) or the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA);
  3. Foreign seafarers with valid 9c crew list visa;
  4. Foreign spouses, children, and parents of Filipino nationals who are travelling with them and with valid visas upon entry;
  5. Foreign nationals with emergency, humanitarian, and other analogous cases approved by the NTF COVID-19.

Foreign nationals who have emergency, humanitarian, and other similar cases may seek approval by sending an email request to:

Those who comply with the above and who are allowed to enter the Philippines will have to comply with the mandatory 7 days quarantine upon arrival at approved Department of Health (DOH) facilities. This rule applies despite negative COVID tests upon arrival. On the sixth (6th) day of arrival, the traveler will have to take a mandatory COVID-testing. 

Make sure before traveling and before making a hotel reservation that the hotel is an accredited quarantine hotel/facility by the Philippine Department of Health. For a list of accredited quarantine hotels and facilities, travelers should exercise due diligence by researching only on reputable information sources. Or they may contact their airlines for any list of their partner quarantine hotels for recommendation. 

Traveling to the United States

All airline passengers traveling to the United States, including U.S. citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs), are required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 viral test or recovery from COVID-19.

Effective January 26, 2021 all airline passengers to the United States ages two years and older must provide either a negative COVID-19 viral test taken within three calendar days of travel or provide a positive test result and documentation from a licensed health care provider or public health official of having recovered from COVID-19 in the 90 days preceding travel.  Passengers must also attest, under penalty of law, to having received a negative qualifying test result or to recovery from COVID-19 and medical clearance to travel.   

Airlines must deny boarding to passengers who do not meet these requirements.   U.S. citizens in countries where adequate COVID-19 testing is not available or may not be able to satisfy the requirements, should depart immediately or prepare to be unable to return to the United States until such time as they can meet the requirements.    

(This update is current as of March 22, 2021.)