The Bureau of Immigration (BI) once again reminded foreign spouses of Filipinos to secure appropriate visas if they want to enter the country.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente issued the reminder after learning that several foreigners  married to Filipinos were recently denied entry at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

Citing a report from the bureau’s port operations division (POD), Morente said "those excluded, although married to Filipinos, had no visas at all so they were sent back to their port of origin.”

POD chief Grifton Medina reported that since August 19 no less than 15 aliens were already turned back at the NAIA for the same.

Medina said the passengers, including Americans, Europeans, South Koreans, and Africans, presented only marriage certificates and had no visas, so they were excluded for being improperly documented aliens.

“They were advised to secure entry visas from our Philippine Consulates abroad so they can return and join their spouses and children here,” Medina added.

The BI deplored that despite several public advisories via the press, BI official website and social media accounts, there are still some people who misunderstood recent changes to travel restrictions made by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

He also reminded airliners to comply with the IATF resolution as it is also their responsibility to inform their foreign passengers about the requirements before allowing them to book and board their flights to the Philippines.

It can be recalled that starting this month, the IATF-EID decided to lift restrictions on the entry of aliens with valid immigrant visas and alien spouses of Filipinos, including the latter’s minor foreign children, and foreign parents of Filipino minors and children with special needs, regardless of age, provided that they also possess the appropriate visas and proof of filiation.