# Changes in Philippine entry requirements US State Department Message Jan 31, 2022



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

U.S. Embassy Manila, Philippines
U.S. Consular Agency Cebu,Philippines

January 31, 2022

Health Alert: Upcoming Changes in Philippine Entry Requirements


Location:  Philippines, countrywide

Event:  As of February 10, the Philippines will grant entry to fully vaccinated visitors from countries that are permitted visa-free travel, including the United States. Fully vaccinated travelers will no longer be subject to facility-based quarantine upon arrival. Travelers must present negative RT-PCR results from a test taken within 48 hours of departure from their country of origin and must self-monitor for symptoms for seven days after arrival, reporting to local government authorities if they begin to exhibit COVID-19 symptoms. *The Philippines recognizes the U.S. Centers for Disease Control Vaccination Card as proof of vaccination status.*

As of February 1, 2022, returning Filipinos and residents who are fully vaccinated will no longer have to quarantine, subject to the same RT-PCR testing requirements as noted above.

Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated travelers will be subject to quarantine in a government facility until the release of a negative RT-PCR test taken on the fifth day, followed by home quarantine until the 14th day.

Children below the age of 18 are exempt from the vaccination requirements.

The Philippines will also retire the “red, yellow, green” country lists that previously set different entry restrictions based on country-of-origin risk level.

Actions to Take:

· For more information on the new Philippine entry requirements, see Executive Order No. 408 (s.1960) and Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) Resolution 159.

· Remember to update your status with the Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI) before March 1, 2022. This is an annual requirement for certain registered aliens. You must book an appointment online. See the BI website for more information.

· Monitor the Embassy’s COVID-19 information page for updates.


Assistance:

Visit the State Department’s travel website for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Advisories, Alerts, and Country Specific Information for the


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## pinkypop07 (10 mo ago)

Is covid 19 travel insurance of minimum US 35,000 is mandatory requirement. I won't go to Philippines for business or leisure, I would like to visit my terminally ill mother. I'm in Australia I couldn't find a travel insurance company who can't supply me with this huge coverage.


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## pinkypop07 (10 mo ago)

Sorry, who can supply


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## Zep (Jun 8, 2017)

pinkypop07 said:


> Is covid 19 travel insurance of minimum US 35,000 is mandatory requirement. I won't go to Philippines for business or leisure, I would like to visit my terminally ill mother. I'm in Australia I couldn't find a travel insurance company who can't supply me with this huge coverage.


What is your nationality? If you are filipino then you do not need the coverage, only foreigners do.


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## pinkypop07 (10 mo ago)

I'm Australian citizen now.


Zep said:


> What is your nationality? If you are filipino then you do not need the coverage, only foreigners do.


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

pinkypop07 said:


> Sorry, who can supply


I can't find the links but it was brought out that you should be talking with the airlines they provide travel insurance and I think PAL covers you if you fly with them but check. The travel insurance won't cost much.

And if the airline won't provide you with coverage, check online search Travel Insurance.


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

M.C.A. said:


> I can't find the links but it was brought out that you should be talking with the airlines they provide travel insurance and I think PAL covers you if you fly with them but check. The travel insurance won't cost much.
> 
> And if the airline won't provide you with coverage, check online search Travel Insurance.


 I dont know but some have said the insurances through airlines cost more than several insurance companies. I dont remember names of lower cost insurance companies but one was Malaysia... something.


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

I just check with international health insurance. they go by the total cost of the flight. the lowest i saw was $175 for a month. What are the requirements from the Philippines on the health insurance. 

art


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## amcan13 (Sep 28, 2021)

The wording of there government documents are difficult to understand. 
I can see that a Philippine citizen does not need the travel insurance. Easy
What of I am already living in Philippines using the balikbayan visa each year and have house, residency certificate, drivers license, and bank accounts but need to do the yearly exit and return with my wife for the balikbayan visa. Do I need the travel insurance? And for a whole year, since I don't have a return ticket? 
Or does this fall under the same category as a SRRV or 13a visa, not requiring the insurance? The big difference being no AR card with balikbayan visa.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

amcan13 said:


> The wording of there government documents are difficult to understand.
> I can see that a Philippine citizen does not need the travel insurance. Easy
> What of I am already living in Philippines using the balikbayan visa each year and have house, residency certificate, drivers license, and bank accounts but need to do the yearly exit and return with my wife for the balikbayan visa. Do I need the travel insurance? And for a whole year, since I don't have a return ticket?
> Or does this fall under the same category as a SRRV or 13a visa, not requiring the insurance? The big difference being no AR card with balikbayan visa.


My understanding is that as a balikbayan you do need the insurance and the requirement is for the length of your stay. Although clarification is needed I don't see why they don't require continuation when renewing a temporary visa, That is a loophole to be closed. We are leaving in May to return in late August so I hope all this silliness will be over by then.


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

Nobody has dealt with this current Balikbyan dilemma so here's a link you could call or message and the PBI will answer your question, sometimes it's a link from their website and an outdated old link but who knows maybe the phone call would be better.

Offical PBI Facebook link


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## amcan13 (Sep 28, 2021)

Also why insurance for a person not a tourist but resident? I don't plan on leaving until I get my 13A squared away. But it seems to be that they addressing tourist or business people, temporary visitors. If you are established resident they should allow for the balikbayan case. In addition why do you need insurance if you have that much cash available. In the US you can have a bond or show you have the cash to meet the requirements. If I had over 34K in a Philippine bank that should be better since insurance companies usually find ways not to pay.
I know they want to not be on the hook for a visitors covid treatment but as a resident I have to pony up the money to get treated in a hospital so making me get insurance for a year seems crazy. Thanks for the link. I have friends that are more in the boat than I am.


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

amcan13 said:


> Also why insurance for a person not a tourist but resident? I don't plan on leaving until I get my 13A squared away. But it seems to be that they addressing tourist or business people, temporary visitors. If you are established resident they should allow for the balikbayan case. In addition why do you need insurance if you have that much cash available. In the US you can have a bond or show you have the cash to meet the requirements. If I had over 34K in a Philippine bank that should be better since insurance companies usually find ways not to pay.
> I know they want to not be on the hook for a visitors covid treatment but as a resident I have to pony up the money to get treated in a hospital so making me get insurance for a year seems crazy. Thanks for the link. I have friends that are more in the boat than I am.


The big danger is having too much money on deposit in a Philippine Bank is that they only cover I think 100,000 pesos if robbed, our bank was robbed 6 years back but the police killed them as they exited the bank, this was in San Cruz Laguna.

My friend a Mormon Missionary who was in top physical condition got Covid and nearly died, he had to have several blood transfusions the latest medications and was in intensive care for nearly a month in a Manila hospital... I can't imagine that bill, I don't dare ask him but I'm sure he was covered by the Church he's one of the senior leaders.


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## amcan13 (Sep 28, 2021)

I am not sure how a robbery to a major national bank would impact individuals. Banks don't keep customer money at a branch, they only keep a small amount of money to provide for transactions. The rest gets used for loans and the like in order for them to make a profit. I do agree it is possible the bank could fail and you could lose your money. Usually the government looks for another bank to buy a failing one and save it from going under before it fails. 
You can also just have a lot of accounts across multiple banks to avoid a single failure. It seems to me having some capital in the country is important in dealing with emergencies. In order to get an SRRV Visa they require $20,000 dollars or about a million peso. 
In addition, you got the amount wrong. It is 500,000 php that is insured. Also joint accounts usually insure each person. Here is the link


https://www.pdic.gov.ph/index.php?nid1=6


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

amcan13 said:


> I am not sure how a robbery to a major national bank would impact individuals. Banks don't keep customer money at a branch, they only keep a small amount of money to provide for transactions. The rest gets used for loans and the like in order for them to make a profit. I do agree it is possible the bank could fail and you could lose your money. Usually the government looks for another bank to buy a failing one and save it from going under before it fails.
> You can also just have a lot of accounts across multiple banks to avoid a single failure. It seems to me having some capital in the country is important in dealing with emergencies. In order to get an SRRV Visa they require $20,000 dollars or about a million peso.
> In addition, you got the amount wrong. It is 500,000 php that is insured. Also joint accounts usually insure each person. Here is the link
> 
> ...


You are correct it appears to be 500,000 pesos insured and you are right, many open up more than one account to protect their funds.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

For a joint account its 1,000,000 pesos. Be careful that if using multiple accounts they are different banks as some rural banks although with different names are part of the same group. Then you only get one dip.


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## Danward (Oct 14, 2021)

art1946 said:


> I just check with international health insurance. they go by the total cost of the flight. the lowest i saw was $175 for a month. What are the requirements from the Philippines on the health insurance.
> 
> art


That is what we find also. We enter $2500 for the fun of it and then it ask for the date we prepaid that cost. That is undefined because we won't be paying for our ticket for 2-3 months. We can't wait until the last day to meet all these requirements. When we try to select a later date on their calendar for the first payment made it only gives today's date and before. We can't enter the accurate date of ticket purchase. 

We need firm health insurance solutions before we buy a ticket. 

Which medical insurance company is recognized by The Philippines? With thousands of tourist having entered since Feb. 10, surely the airport personnel are seeing a "common" insurance policy that many tourist are using. All of us could try to get what most tourist have been using.


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

Danward said:


> That is what we find also. We enter $2500 for the fun of it and then it ask for the date we prepaid that cost. That is undefined because we won't be paying for our ticket for 2-3 months. We can't wait until the last day to meet all these requirements. When we try to select a later date on their calendar for the first payment made it only gives today's date and before. We can't enter the accurate date of ticket purchase.
> 
> We need firm health insurance solutions before we buy a ticket.
> 
> Which medical insurance company is recognized by The Philippines? With thousands of tourist having entered since Feb. 10, surely the airport personnel are seeing a "common" insurance policy that many tourist are using. All of us could try to get what most tourist have been using.







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Philippines Travel Insurance Requirements - Squaremouth


Squaremouth breaks down the requirements travelers must meet to gain entry into the Philippines, and shares recommended travel insurance coverage amounts.




www.squaremouth.com





Hope that others who've flown here recently can help.


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## amcan13 (Sep 28, 2021)

A friend arrived thus week. When he bought his ticket he had to get the insurance. He paid about $50 bucks. When he checked in at Philippines Airlines in SFO they told him the rule just changed for balikbyan traveling with spouse you don't need the insurance. Of course you need spouse Filipino citizenship proof and the marriage certificate. I have not looked around for any confirmation of the change yet.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Yes that is correct, only 9a ( tourists) now need the insurance.


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## Danward (Oct 14, 2021)

amcan13 said:


> A friend arrived thus week. When he bought his ticket he had to get the insurance. He paid about $50 bucks.


Would you know the name of the insurance company? Thanks.


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