MANILA – The Philippines has temporarily stop issuing visas to foreign visitors and will also soon cancel existing visas due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Department of Foreign Affairs secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. made the announcement on Twitter on Thursday evening after consulting with Department of Tourism secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat
“Starting today, all our embassies and consulates will temporarily suspend visa issuance to all foreign nationals as well as the visa-free privileges of all foreign nationals,” Locsin tweeted.
Also, all previously issued Philippine visas to foreign nationals “are deemed cancelled,” he added.
But visas already issued to foreign spouses and children of Filipino nationals remain valid.
Before the announcement, Locsin said the government may consider suspending visa issuance at least for the month-long quarantine period enforced in Luzon, where the country’s main airport is located.
Over a hundred countries— including African, European, and South American nations— enjoy the visa-free policy in the Philippines.
The rapid spike in COVID-19 cases in the Philippines— which was 217 as of Thursday— prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to place the entire Luzon under “enhanced” community quarantine./PN
