MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration on Thursday said American citizens stranded in the Philippines with expired US passports will be allowed to depart the country.
Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente issued a memorandum directing all bureau personnel assigned in different ports to allow the departure of passengers whose American passports expired on or after Jan. 1, 2020 and are expiring up to Dec. 31, 2021.
But these expired passports may only be used for departure to the US until the end of the year, Morenete added.
He also ordered the bureau’s tourist visa section and alien registration division “to process all applications for updating of stay and emigration clearance certificates (ECC) of holders of expired US passports upon presentation of a confirmed ticket bound for the USA,” BI said in a statement.
The bureau explained that Morente issued the memorandum in response to a letter from the US Embassy in Manila that relayed the plight of American citizens who are unable to leave the country due to the expiration of their passports.
BI shared that the embassy told them that the US State Department has recently issued guidance that would allow American citizens to fly back to their home country using an expired passport, but only until the end of the year.
“The Embassy said that the State Department worked closely with the Department of Homeland Security and different commercial airlines to implement the measure to assist Americans whose passports expired during the pandemic in countries where passport renewal options at the nearest US embassy or consulate are limited,” the bureau said.
A similar communication was also sent to the Department of Foreign Affairs, it added.
Morente said the US Embassy’s request is deemed valid and extended, but stressed that the rule may only apply to departing passengers. “Those who are planning to remain here or convert their visas still need to present a valid passport,” he said.
The BI chief, however, said that the Embassy had also stressed that its passport services are available and encouraged their citizens to renew their passports prior to departure, if when feasible. — Kristine Joy Patag