Renewal of foreigners’ re-entry permits can now be done at airports

FOREIGNERS may now renew their re-entry permits to the Philippines upon arrival at the airport, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced on Sunday. “Many of these foreign nationals have already expired (re-entry permits) and (special return certificates), and the new procedure will allow them to renew this at the airport upon arrival,” BI Commissioner Jaime H. Morente said in a press release. Mr. Morente said this policy, which was ordered by the Department of Justice, “will facilitate the unhampered entry of foreigners with existing valid visas who were not permitted to enter the Philippines when the coronavirus struck the world last year.” A re-entry permit is issued to foreigners with immigrant visas but with permanent residence in the Philippines, while a special return certificate is issued to non-immigrants or those with working visas and student visas. The re-entry permits are valid for six months to one year from the date of a foreigner’s departure. —