“Pursuant to various resolutions from the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) directing the public to exercise social distancing and minimize travel, and in the interest of public safety and welfare, we will be implementing this order as a form of regulatory relief for foreigners,” BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said in a statement on Sunday.
However, concerned foreigners will still be assessed and required to pay their immigration fees and penalties in lieu of the order to leave, the bureau said.
According to Morente, the relief shall apply to those who have reached their maximum allowable stay as of March 1, 2020.
Immigration rules state that foreigners required to secure a visa before entering the Philippines may apply for extension of their stay every two months for a maximum of 24 months. The period is up to 36 months for those allowed to enter the country without a visa.
Morente said the suspension of the leave order will also benefit those who have overstayed beginning March 1, 2020 whether or not they have been in the country beyond the maximum allowable period.
The move “reciprocates the leniency extended by other countries to Filipinos” experiencing the same situation abroad, he said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 12) — The Bureau of Immigration has temporarily suspended its “Order to Leave” for foreigners who have overstayed their visitor’s visa as the COVID-19 pandemic drags on.
