(NAR) VOL. 25 NO. 3 / JULY - SEPTEMBER 2014
WHEREAS, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) is principally responsible for the administration and enforcement of immigration, citizenship and alien admission and registration laws in accordance with the provisions of Commonwealth Act No. 613, otherwise known as the Philippine immigration Act of 1940, as amended;
WHEREAS, the Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and BI entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on 16 June 2000 prescribing the procedures for the accreditation of Philippine tour operators handling tour groups and individual travelers from the PROC and the issuance of visa and visa upon arrival (VUA) to tour group members and individual travelers handled by such tour operators;
WHEREAS, in relation to the said MOA and in order to better facilitate the expeditious entry and admission of PROC tour group members and individual travelers handled by accredited Philippine tour operators into the country through the VUA facility, there is a need to enhance the existing BI procedures on the matter;
WHEREFORE, pursuant to Section 3 of Commonwealth Act No. 613, as amended, the following rules and procedures are hereby prescribed:
Section 1. Scope and Coverage. – This Circular covers and governs the issuance of Visa Upon Arrival (VUA) to foreign tour groups and individual travelers from the People’s Republic of China (PROC) and its Special Administrative Regions (SARs) handled by accredited Philippine tour operators.
Section 2. Eligibility. – Nationals from PROC and its SARs coming into the country as temporary visitors may apply for Section 9(a) visa upon arrival at any Philippine international port of entry for an authorized stay of fourteen (14) days provided that:
Particulars Nature of Fees AmountIndividual Travelers VUA Fee
Legal Research FeeUS$ 25.00 each
Php 10.00 eachTour Group consisting of 3 to 19 members VUA Fee
Legal Research FeeUS$ 25.00 each
Php 10.00 eachTour Group consisting of 20 and more members VUA Fee
Legal Research FeeUS$ 15.00 each
Php 10.00 each
Section 3. Procedures. –
Section 4. Prohibitions. –
a. No tour operator shall be allowed to bring into the Philippines any national from PROC or its SARs unless such tour operator is duly accredited by the DOT.
b. Section 9(a) VUAs issued to tour group members and individual travelers pursuant to this Circular are not eligible for extension or conversion to other immigration status.
c. Except in cases of medical emergency, all members of a tour group must arrive to and depart from the Philippines in the same flight as scheduled.
Section 5. Sanctions. - The BI may:
Section 6. Reportorial Requirements. –
Section 7. Suppletory Rules. – The rules prescribed in the Primer on the Issuance of Visa and Visa Upon Arrival to Tour Groups or Individuals from the People’s Republic of China (Annex “A”) shall apply in suppletory character insofar as the same are not inconsistent hereof.
Section 8. Repealing Clause. – This Circular repeals Memorandum Order No. RADJR-2012-002, Memorandum Order No. RPL-2010-010 and Memorandum Order No. ADD-02-024. All other previous inconsistent herewith are hereby likewise repealed and/or modified accordingly.
Section 9. Effectivity. – This Memorandum Circular shall take effect immediately upon signing hereof.
Furnish a copy of this Circular to the Office of the National Administrative Register (ONAR), U.P. Law Center, Diliman, Quezon City.
23 July 2014
SGD) SIEGFRED B. MISON
Commissioner