Immigration eases requirements for foreign nationals with Filipino families traveling to Philippines
MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration on Monday said arriving foreign spouses, children and parents of Filipinos no longer need to present an entry exemption document (EED) to enter the country starting August 1.
Previously, these foreign nationals can only enter the Philippines if they have valid 9(a) tourist visa and an EED issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs through embassies or consulates abroad. Failure to present the EED will lead to their exclusion.
But Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said Monday that this new policy is in compliance with the latest resolution of Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases that further eased requirements from foreigners related by marriage to Filipinos.
“Under the new IATF resolution, foreign spouses, children and parents of Filipinos will only be required to present 9(a) tourist visas beginning on Sunday,” BI added.
The bureau added that the pandemic task force has also instructed the DFA to put on the visa of these foreign nationals this note: “EED not required per IATF Resolution No. 128 (2021).”
Morente stressed that these new guidelines are only for foreign nationals who are not accompanied by the Filipino spouse or parents in going to the Philippines. They should first apply for a 9(a) tourist visa from the Philippine consulate abroad to be allowed to enter the country.
Those who are travelling with their Filipino family member are eligible for the Balikbayan program and may be allowed to enter the country visa-free, for one-year, the BI chief explained.
BI Port Operation Division Chief Carlos Capulon, meanwhile, stressed that while requirements for foreign nationals with Filipino families have been eased, the travel ban on ten countries placed amid risk of the more transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus remains.
Travelers from Malaysia, Thailand, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and United Arab Emirates are currently not allowed to enter the country.
The ban is in effect until July 31, until expanded or extended by the IATF. — Kristine Joy Patag
Find the latest travel and tourism news from around the world amid the coronavirus pandemic. Main image by AFP/Romeo Gacad
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The sector will also be back in the green, with net profits forecast to reach $9.8 billion in 2023, or double previous estimates, boosted by the end of China's Covid restrictions, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The association added that its 2022 losses were half as bad as previously estimated at $3.6 billion.
"Airline financial performance in 2023 is beating expectations," IATA director general Willie Walsh said in a statement during the association's annual general meeting in Istanbul.
"Stronger profitability is supported by several positive developments. China lifted Covid-19 restrictions earlier in the year than anticipated," Walsh said. — AFP
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"Cathay Pacific has experienced three challenging years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with 2022 very much being a year of two halves," chairman Patrick Healy says in a statement announcing the results..
Cathay is still trailing regional rivals such as Singapore Airlines, with Hong Kong's axing of harsh pandemic curbs -- including mandatory hotel quarantine and strict testing requirements -- only beginning in the fall of last year.
The airline operated at one-third of pre-pandemic passenger flight capacity in December but expects to reach 70% of that figure by the end of 2023, the company says. — AFP
German airline giant Lufthansa says Friday it returned to annual profit in 2022 after two years of losses, its fortunes lifted by rebounding demand as economies reopened after COVID-19 shutdowns.
The group reported a net profit of 791 million euros ($839 million) for last year. This compares to a net loss of 2.2 billion euros in 2021 and 6.7 billion euros in 2020.
"Lufthansa is back," says the company's CEO Carsten Spohr. — AFP
People hoping to take advantage of a Hong Kong scheme to give away half a million free airline tickets face hours-long online queues on Wednesday, as the Asian financial hub bids to woo tourists back.
The city last month launched a campaign to reboot its reputation as "Asia's world city", after years of strict pandemic-related travel restrictions and a crackdown on sometimes violent pro-democracy protests.
On Wednesday, Hong Kong became one of the last places in the world to drop its outdoor mask mandate, which city leader John Lee said was a sign that it was "resuming normalcy". — AFP
Australian airline Qantas says Thursday it bounced back into profit in late 2022, hailing a "huge turnaround" after swallowing massive losses throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The national carrier posted a second-half profit of Aus$1.43 billion (US$974 million) before tax, after accumulating Aus$7 billion in losses across the previous three years.
Chief executive Alan Joyce says surging demand for flights had boosted the company's fortunes while announcing a plan to buy back Aus$500 million in Qantas shares. — AFP
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