# 9A Foreign Spouse Visa



## Alan Hill (Nov 26, 2016)

Like many others, I have had my travel plans to the Philippines interrupted by COVID. When I learned of the new rule allowing foreign spouses to apply for a travel visa, I began to put my packet together. The longest part was waiting for my wife's notarized affidavit that she is currently in the Philippines and a notarized copy of her passport (proof of citizenship) to arrive.

Since I am in the northeast US, I followed the instructions on the New York City consulate website. I did notice that other consulates have small differences in requirements. I mailed the entire packet priority mail on Monday the 29th, got confirmation that it arrived on the 1st and my passport with approved visa was in the mail today. I applied for the 90 day single entry visa, since I will just extend at immigration when I am in country. This is the first time I have applied for a visa before travelling, I am impressed that it only took a week.

My packet consisted of my military current retired pay statement, a copy of my latest bank statement, notarized copy of my wife's passport, notarized copy of our marriage certificate, notarized copies of form 2A from the consulate website, visa photo, notarized affidavit that my wife is in the Philippines, my passport, payment, proposed flight itinerary (just a screenshot from cheaptickets) and a booking at an approved quarantine hotel (made from the list available on the Clark airport website, Manila and Cebu have their own lists.)

I do not plan on travelling until next month but will post updates on the entire flight/entry/testing and quarantine process when I get there.

Was not as easy as the automatic visa issued at the airport pre-covid but better than spending another winter in the frozen northeast US.

Good luck to anyone else going this route.

Alan


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## greenstreak1946 (May 28, 2017)

hey Alan,

Good luck. I am in a limbo also. I was coming back to the Philippines when this virus hit. I am on a tourist visa. I don't know when they will allow us to return. I lived there before outside of Davao city. I wanted to return there. 

At least I live in Florida. hahahhaha Not the North area.

Art


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Alan Hill said:


> Like many others, I have had my travel plans to the Philippines interrupted by COVID. When I learned of the new rule allowing foreign spouses to apply for a travel visa, I began to put my packet together. The longest part was waiting for my wife's notarized affidavit that she is currently in the Philippines and a notarized copy of her passport (proof of citizenship) to arrive.
> 
> Since I am in the northeast US, I followed the instructions on the New York City consulate website. I did notice that other consulates have small differences in requirements. I mailed the entire packet priority mail on Monday the 29th, got confirmation that it arrived on the 1st and my passport with approved visa was in the mail today. I applied for the 90 day single entry visa, since I will just extend at immigration when I am in country. This is the first time I have applied for a visa before travelling, I am impressed that it only took a week.
> 
> ...


Sounds terrific Alan and welcome to the forum and I wish you nothing but the best in finally arriving before winter.

Sounds like you have all your bases covered. For sure the 5 Philippine Consulates (when I applied in 2007 for the 13a) in the US have some small variations in their paperwork but nearly the same, it doesn't' seem to be standardized and then the documents are much different in the Philippines.

And hopefully we'll hear more from you, I'm sure many other expats are in the same situation.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

This is all very interesting as I'm likely going this route at the end of the year. My main difference is that my wife will be travelling with me. She will I assume have to enter on her Philippines passport which in itself will cause complications. We will also be entering via Clark. Have you booked a hotel with a pickup or have you had to find your own. How many days have you had to book the room for and what are the costs like.


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

Gary D said:


> This is all very interesting as I'm likely going this route at the end of the year. My main difference is that my wife will be travelling with me. She will I assume have to enter on her Philippines passport which in itself will cause complications. We will also be entering via Clark. Have you booked a hotel with a pickup or have you had to find your own. How many days have you had to book the room for and what are the costs like.


 Have you checked if YOU can get trouble to get in if your wife isn't in Phils *before* you start process to get in?

Because isn't the rule for foreigners to be allowed to get in to JOIN a spouse or kids being there allready?


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## greenstreak1946 (May 28, 2017)

Has anyone heard when the government might open up travel for foreigners on a tourist visa? The revenue they are losing is unbelievable from stopping all foreign travelers that are not married to a Filipino.

I am glad I never bought my plane ticket back in Jan. 

Art


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## Alan Hill (Nov 26, 2016)

Gary,
Your process will be similar to mine except that you will need an affidavit from your wife stating that she will be travelling with you instead of one saying that she is in the Philippines. The Clark airport website says the COVID testing results are released between 24-48 hours, I made my reservations for 3 days and will extend if needed. I made reservations at DM Residente in Balibago as I stayed there a few times many years ago, and it is not far from my apartment. They do have airport pickup and the hotel only costs about $25 a night.

The Clark Airport Facebook page has slides posted that show the process on arrival including a list of approved hotels. There were a few less expensive than DM and a lot that are more expensive. I was not worried so much about the cost as just wanting someplace I have used before.

Good luck in your process.

Alan


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Alan Hill said:


> Gary,
> Your process will be similar to mine except that you will need an affidavit from your wife stating that she will be travelling with you instead of one saying that she is in the Philippines. The Clark airport website says the COVID testing results are released between 24-48 hours, I made my reservations for 3 days and will extend if needed. I made reservations at DM Residente in Balibago as I stayed there a few times many years ago, and it is not far from my apartment. They do have airport pickup and the hotel only costs about $25 a night.
> 
> The Clark Airport Facebook page has slides posted that show the process on arrival including a list of approved hotels. There were a few less expensive than DM and a lot that are more expensive. I was not worried so much about the cost as just wanting someplace I have used before.
> ...


Thank you for the information Aan. I believe that both my wife and myself will have to have separate rooms.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Hi Alan, did you make it to the Philippines ok. How did you get a 90 day visa as there is no mention of it on the UK website, also how did you get around the essential travel only criteria.


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## Shadowman (Apr 20, 2020)

Gary D said:


> how did you get around the essential travel only criteria.


He didn't, family is considered essential so 9a foreigners with a Filipino wife and/or minor children can enter.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Shadowman said:


> He didn't, family is considered essential so 9a foreigners with a Filipino wife and/or minor children can enter.


If you only have a Filipino wife no you can't, I assume the minor would perhaps swing it. I have a Filipino wife and the Philippines embassy states essential travel only, excluding leisure and vacation.


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## Shadowman (Apr 20, 2020)

Gary D said:


> If you only have a Filipino wife no you can't, I assume the minor would perhaps swing it. I have a Filipino wife and the Philippines embassy states essential travel only, excluding leisure and vacation.


Not true, again:



> On July 30, 2020, Philippine Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), a national task force gave this directive on who can travel to the Philippines at this time:
> 
> – Foreign spouses of Filipino nationals, regardless of nationality
> – Foreign parents of minor Filipino children
> - Traveling to PH in the time of Covid


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Shadowman said:


> Not true, again:


*Foreign Nationals Who May Apply for a Visa to Enter the Philippines*
As of 06 August 2020, only the foreign nationals identified in the matrix below may apply for a 9A, 9C, and 9E visas to enter the Philippines. All visa applications are to be sent by post. The visa application form must be notarised by a British / Irish Notary Public and must bear the Notary’s official seal. Applications that are not duly notarised and which do not bear the seal or stamp of the notary public will not be considered. The purpose for the limited issuance of 9A visas is to enable foreign nationals to visit their Filipino national spouses int he Philippines or to travel to the Philippines with their Filipino nationals spouses for reason of *GENUINE EMERGENCIES*; as well as to enable foreign nationals to visit their Filipino national dependent children in the Philippines. Foreign nationals must therefore travel with their Filipino national spous to the Philippines or present proof that their Filipino national spouse is in the Philippines. A pre-booked holiday or vacation to the Philippines for the purposes of leisure is not considered an emergency.


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## Shadowman (Apr 20, 2020)

^ Not linking your sources, but they still prove my point:

1.



Gary D said:


> The purpose for the limited issuance of 9A visas is to enable foreign nationals to visit their Filipino national spouses int he Philippines


2.



Gary D said:


> *or *to travel to the Philippines *with *their Filipino nationals spouses for reason of GENUINE EMERGENCIES


3.



Gary D said:


> *as well as* to enable foreign nationals to visit their Filipino national dependent children in the Philippines.


As of last week:



> As of 03 November 2020: The Bureau of Immigration informs the public that inbound foreign nationals is temporarily not allowed except if he/she is:1.Foreign spouses of Filipino nationals; 2. Foreign parents of minor Filipino children


Source: https://boi.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/BOI-IAS-SALIENT-POINTS-AS-OF-11032020.pdf


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

A bit of selective reading going on there.

The purpose for the limited issuance of 9A visas is to enable foreign nationals to visit their Filipino national spouses int he Philippines or to travel to the Philippines with their Filipino nationals spouses for reason of *GENUINE EMERGENCIES*;

The link





Visa







londonpe.dfa.gov.ph


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## Shadowman (Apr 20, 2020)

Gary D said:


> A bit of selective reading going on there.


I'm reading the word "or" and you're ignoring it.

And again, the obvious point is that family is considered essential, which should surprise nobody who knows anything about the Philippines. That's why if you aren't with your wife or child, like OP, you can get a VISA, like he did. If you're _already _with them, you can't, unless "emergency".



Gary D said:


> The link
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Warning: Potential Security Risk Ahead


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## Alan Hill (Nov 26, 2016)

Gary D said:


> Hi Alan, did you make it to the Philippines ok. How did you get a 90 day visa as there is no mention of it on the UK website, also how did you get around the essential travel only criteria.


Hello Gary, I am travelling this weekend. Should land in Clark Tuesday afternoon. Will post a report on the process once I get settled in.


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## BGCExpat (Oct 26, 2015)

Not to add fuel to the fire, but it seems pretty clear that any spouse is eligible for entry if they have an existing visa... From the Bureau of Immigration FB page a few weeks ago...


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

BGCExpat said:


> Not to add fuel to the fire, but it seems pretty clear that any spouse is eligible for entry* if they have an existing visa*... From the Bureau of Immigration FB page a few weeks ago...


 Many with families lived there at tourist visa.

Still not leting in SRRV.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Lunkan said:


> Many with families lived there at tourist visa.
> 
> Still not leting in SRRV.


Yes I was on a Balikbayan, had to return to the UK for fathers funeral. Can now only return for essential traval by gaining a tourist visa for which I can't qualify.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Gary D said:


> Yes I was on a Balikbayan, had to return to the UK for fathers funeral. Can now only return for essential traval by gaining a tourist visa for which I can't qualify.


Isn't that something.... So now you're stuck in the UK, But if married are they wanting a 13a now instead of the Balikbyan, wow that's? I'm out of words because you have a wife and home here so I wonder why they don't allow the Balikbyan for quick entry into the country?


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## BGCExpat (Oct 26, 2015)

Gary D said:


> Yes I was on a Balikbayan, had to return to the UK for fathers funeral. Can now only return for essential traval by gaining a tourist visa for which I can't qualify.


Talk with your local Philippine Embassy, they might come up with a solution that gets you back in.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

BGCExpat said:


> Talk with your local Philippine Embassy, they might come up with a solution that gets you back in.


You cannot talk to the local Philippines embassy, tbeir phones are turned off with limited staffing. 13a are not currently being processed. All that is available to a spouse is a 9a for essential travel with few exceptions if you have children or pregnant partner in the phils. Applications by mail only.


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## BGCExpat (Oct 26, 2015)

Gary D said:


> You cannot talk to the local Philippines embassy, tbeir phones are turned off with limited staffing. 13a are not currently being processed. All that is available to a spouse is a 9a for essential travel with few exceptions if you have children or pregnant partner in the phils. Applications by mail only.


I have spoken directly with the PH ambassador in my country of residence over the last 8 weeks who has directed me to work with the visa issuing officer in his embassy. I‘ve now spoken with that officer a number of times both by phone and email over the last two weeks ironing out questions and getting a plan of action together. If all goes well, I’ll post exactly what’s going on in a few weeks - from our home in Manila.

Yes, it’s difficult to get through via phone. Try the PH ambassador in your country on FB or Messenger, you might be surprised at how helpful they can be. A 9A visa will get you in country for 3 months and past the border, you can work on a longer-term solution once there. If you are married, reuniting with your wife is considered essential travel. Yes, applications by mail as they want to limit face-to-face interactions during the pandemic, a smart move on their part. Get to know these people at your local embassy, let them get to know you and your story, they will help if they can...


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## hogrider (May 25, 2010)

I didn't realize that a 13a qualified for entry back in to Philippines. Interesting


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

hogrider said:


> I didn't realize that a 13a qualified for entry back in to Philippines. Interesting


The UK embassy has suspended processing the 13a so that route is not available.


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## BGCExpat (Oct 26, 2015)

You can get married and enter with a 9A visa, which any Philippine embassy will give under the current circumstance, at least according to the PH embassy here in Wellington.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

BGCExpat said:


> You can get married and enter with a 9A visa, which any Philippine embassy will give under the current circumstance, at least according to the PH embassy here in Wellington.


The London embassy only gives them out for essential travel and exclude vacation or tourism


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## BGCExpat (Oct 26, 2015)

Just got mine today...


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## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

BGCExpat said:


> Just got mine today...
> 
> View attachment 98648


Awesome!

I looked up what is exempted under FSC 36-2020

SOURCE: https://abudhabipe.dfa.gov.ph/images/Visa/FSC_No._36-2020.pdf


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## BGCExpat (Oct 26, 2015)

Hey_Joe said:


> Awesome!
> 
> I looked up what is exempted under FSC 36-2020
> 
> SOURCE: https://abudhabipe.dfa.gov.ph/images/Visa/FSC_No._36-2020.pdf


Yeah, I liked that too. I’m hoping they put that on the visa to stop any further questioning by the immigration officer at the airport, although I will have all appropriate documentation with me to cover my bases... That foreign service circular (fsc 36-2020) makes it clear that foreign service posts (Philippine embassies and consulates) CAN issue entry visas to foreign spouses...


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

BGCExpat said:


> Just got mine today...
> 
> View attachment 98648


Hey Joe comes through again and with a whole bunch of help from BGC Expat, thanks for the updates and short cuts. So then those who have family/marriage should be able to return with that letter FSC no 36-2020 https://abudhabipe.dfa.gov.ph/images/Visa/FSC_No._36-2020.pdf and make sure they make the Visa to read like above.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

M.C.A. said:


> Hey Joe comes through again and with a whole bunch of help from BGC Expat, thanks for the updates and short cuts. So then those who have family/marriage should be able to return with that letter FSC no 36-2020 https://abudhabipe.dfa.gov.ph/images/Visa/FSC_No._36-2020.pdf and make sure they make the Visa to read like above.


On the face of it it's all fine and dandy but if you dig deeper it's not so straight forward.

Extract from the London embassy pertaining to spouse without children.

The purpose for the limited issuance of 9A visas is to enable foreign nationals to visit their Filipino national spouses int he Philippines or to travel to the Philippines with their Filipino nationals spouses for reason of *GENUINE EMERGENCIES*; A pre-booked holiday or vacation to the Philippines for the purposes of leisure is not considered an emergency.


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## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

Gary D said:


> On the face of it it's all fine and dandy but if you dig deeper it's not so straight forward.
> 
> Extract from the London embassy pertaining to spouse without children.
> 
> The purpose for the limited issuance of 9A visas is to enable foreign nationals to visit their Filipino national spouses int he Philippines or to travel to the Philippines with their Filipino nationals spouses for reason of *GENUINE EMERGENCIES*; A pre-booked holiday or vacation to the Philippines for the purposes of leisure is not considered an emergency.


I read that as well SOURCE: Visa

Have you asked them what source Philippine Government Source Document they are using to require GENUINE EMERGENCIES As of 06 August 2020? The 3 August 2020 guidance they are to follow fails to mention GENUINE EMERGENCIES. SOURCE: https://abudhabipe.dfa.gov.ph/images/Visa/FSC_No._36-2020.pdf

Two random LARGE PI consulates New York & Los Angeles fail to list GENUINE EMERGENCIES as a requirement.
LA: FOREIGN SPOUSE OF A FILIPINO NATIONAL – Philippine Consulate General Los Angeles California 
NY: Visa - Philippine Consulate General

Ask them what is their definition of a genuine emergency. Again, ask for the source document.

An *emergency* is a situation that poses an immediate risk to health, life, property, or environment.[1] Most emergencies require urgent intervention to prevent a worsening of the situation, although in some situations, mitigation may not be possible and agencies may only be able to offer palliative care for the aftermath. 
SOURCE: Emergency - Wikipedia

An argument could be made to them that preventing a Filipina and her spouse from returning to their home, the contents of the home, their property and vehicles qualifies as an emergency and "The Pamilya" must be allowed to return to safeguard their property & it requires urgent intervention to prevent worsening of the situation.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Hey_Joe said:


> I read that as well SOURCE: Visa
> 
> Have you asked them what source Philippine Government Source Document they are using to require GENUINE EMERGENCIES As of 06 August 2020? The 3 August 2020 guidance they are to follow fails to mention GENUINE EMERGENCIES. SOURCE: https://abudhabipe.dfa.gov.ph/images/Visa/FSC_No._36-2020.pdf
> 
> ...


Well yes but theirs nothing to stop my wife travelling on her own so I'm not sure that will wash.


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

Gary D said:


> On the face of it it's all fine and dandy but if you dig deeper it's not so straight forward.
> 
> Extract from the London embassy pertaining to spouse without children.
> 
> The purpose for the limited issuance of 9A visas is to enable foreign nationals to visit their Filipino national spouses int he Philippines or to travel to the Philippines with their Filipino nationals spouses for reason of *GENUINE EMERGENCIES*; A pre-booked holiday or vacation to the Philippines for the purposes of leisure is not considered an emergency.


This is what the Atlanta, GA consulate told me also.


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

BGCExpat said:


> Just got mine today...
> 
> View attachment 98648


Does the 59 days start now or from date of entry?


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

cvgtpc1 said:


> Does the 59 days start now or from date of entry?


There should be two dates, a use by date and the 59 day that starts when you hit immigration in the Philippines.


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

BGCExpat said:


> Just got mine today...
> 
> View attachment 98648


How long between the valid from and until dates? Is this something you can get for general purpose just in case you have to go, or expires in a couple months so not feasible.


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## BGCExpat (Oct 26, 2015)

cvgtpc1 said:


> How long between the valid from and until dates? Is this something you can get for general purpose just in case you have to go, or expires in a couple months so not feasible.


It does have a ‘59 day’ limitation on it but it also has a start date and an end date which are 90 days apart. I’m using this route strictly to enter the country and will attempt to switch to a 13A visa once I’m there and we are together again. We are together right now in NZ but she starts a new job on Monday so she has flown ahead of me for the next few weeks...

edit: it started the day of issuance (yesterday). I’ll be burning a few weeks of it while I wrap up life here before I travel back to Manila...


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

BGCExpat said:


> It does have a ‘59 day’ limitation on it but it also has a start date and an end date which are 90 days apart. I’m using this route strictly to enter the country and will attempt to switch to a 13A visa once I’m there and we are together again. We are together right now in NZ but she starts a new job on Monday so she has flown ahead of me for the next few weeks...
> 
> edit: it started the day of issuance (yesterday). I’ll be burning a few weeks of it while I wrap up life here before I travel back to Manila...


So you have 31 days to start using the 59 day visa.


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## BGCExpat (Oct 26, 2015)

Gary D said:


> So you have 31 days to start using the 59 day visa.


It has validity as of yesterday so I’ll go with the printed dates on the actual visa...

Whether one gets a visa appears to be geo-specific, that is if the local foreign service office (FSO) chooses to follow the rules as Manila has laid them out. Gary D is right as that is what his local FSO states about visa issuance, while other offices state otherwise and act otherwise...

The FSO in Vancouver will give them out as well as 13A visas, my local office gave me a 9A without too much hassle... It seems to depend on the ambassador and location...






Visa - Vancouver Philippines Consulate General


A Visa is an endorsement made on a travel document by a consular officer denoting that the visa application has been properly examined and that the bearer is permitted to proceed to the Philippines and request permission from the Philippine Immigration authorities to enter the country.




www.vancouverpcg.org


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## BGCExpat (Oct 26, 2015)

Look what just showed up at my door! WooHoo! The embassy sent me pictures of the completed visa yesterday and today I got everything back, visa is now in-hand and ready for the Philippines!

I’ve got the visa, booked quarantine facility, swab-test appointment (in the airport w/ PRC), and am the second plane scheduled to land that day, so I should be ok on maximum inbound passengers... Hopefully I’m good-to-go!

They sent a “get into jail free” card with it! 😂


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Well done BGC, the fight was worth it.

Cheers, Steve.


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## 68whiskeymike6 (Jan 10, 2019)

Gary D said:


> On the face of it it's all fine and dandy but if you dig deeper it's not so straight forward.
> 
> Extract from the London embassy pertaining to spouse without children.
> 
> The purpose for the limited issuance of 9A visas is to enable foreign nationals to visit their Filipino national spouses int he Philippines or to travel to the Philippines with their Filipino nationals spouses for reason of *GENUINE EMERGENCIES*; A pre-booked holiday or vacation to the Philippines for the purposes of leisure is not considered an emergency.


Hmmm...what if you have family there like parents or siblings and there's an emergency? Can a family member go there ? That needs to be taken into consideration if you ask me. The whole Covid thing could be done this way: Let foreigners be tested in their country of origin prior to booking a flight and if that is negative, give them a visa. Once these ppl land, test em again and quarantine them with PPE. When that's negative, they're free to roam around. Same process when they leave the Philippines. It's not rocket science and no reason to hurt the countries economy!!!!


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

68whiskeymike6 said:


> Hmmm...what if you have family there like parents or siblings and there's an emergency? Can a family member go there ? That needs to be taken into consideration if you ask me. The whole Covid thing could be done this way: Let foreigners be tested in their country of origin prior to booking a flight and if that is negative, give them a visa. Once these ppl land, test em again and quarantine them with PPE. When that's negative, they're free to roam around. Same process when they leave the Philippines. It's not rocket science and no reason to hurt the countries economy!!!!


That's how it works, we need a negative covid certificate to get on the plane in London then get another test when we arrive at Clark.


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