BI clarifies alien spouses of Pinoys with existing visas can enter PH

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said foreign spouses of Filipinos can enter the country if they have already existing visas previously issued to them by the agency.
 
Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente clarified that the said aliens can enter the country as long as the visas that were issued to them are still valid.
 
"The visa that you hold will suffice as basis for our immigration officers to admit you upon your arrival in our ports of entry," he added.
 
Morente said he issued the clarification to address reports of alleged confusion over the BI's earlier pronouncement that all foreign spouses, dependents and parents of Filipinos must have the appropriate visas to enter the country.
 
The BI chief stressed that it would be impractical to require these alien spouses, dependents and parents of Filipinos to secure new visas if they already have visas that are still valid in their possession.  
 
He said "only foreigners married to Filipinos who do not possess any visa at all are required to secure entry visas."
 
Morente, however, warned that aliens with existing visa but possess expired Alien Certificate of Registration Identity Cards (ACR I-Cards) will be denied entry, thus they have to renew the same before traveling to the Philippines.
 
A memorandum issued last Wednesday by BI port operations Division chief Grifton Medina further clairified that alien spouses, minor dependents and parents of Filipino minors are no longer required to secure visas if they already possessed valid visas.
 
Medina said these visas need not only be those that were issued to aliens by reason of their marriage to Filipinos.
 
"For example, a holder of a valid 9(g) working visa or a Special Retiree's Resident Visa (SRRV) can enter the country if he or she is married to a Filipino. They need not apply for a new entry visa from our Philippine Consulates abroad," Medina said.
 
The BI official explained that "the bottomline is that no foreigner can enter the country without a visa even if he is married to a Filipino."