PH to welcome fully vaccinated tourists from ‘green’ countries starting Dec. 1
Nationals from non-visa required countries who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will be allowed to enter the Philippines from Dec. 1 to 15, Malacañang said.
In a press briefing on Nov. 26, cabinet secretary and acting spokesperson Karlo Nograles said these travelers will be allowed to enter the country subject to Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) conditions.
Under the IATF Resolution 150-A, those who will be allowed entry are subject to the following conditions:
- They must be holders of a passport that is valid for at least six months at the time of arrival, and with a return or outbound ticket to their country of origin or next country of destination.
- Prior to their arrival in the Philippines, they should have stayed exclusively in the “green list” countries or territories for 14 days.
- They must present proofs of vaccination against COVID-19 that are recognized by the IATF, which include World Health Organization International Certificates of Vaccination and Prophylaxis, VaxCertPH or national/state digital certificate of the foreign government, which has accepted VaxCertPH under reciprocal arrangement unless otherwise permitted by the IATF.
Fully vaccinated foreign nationals will also be required to have a negative RT-PCR test, taken within 72 hours prior to departure from the country of origin.
No facility-based quarantine and no on-arrival RT-PCR test will be further required but the traveler is enjoined to self-monitor for any symptoms until the 14th day, with the first day being the date of arrival.
Those who are just transiting through non-green list countries or territories are not considered to have come from or visited the said countries if they just stayed in the airport and were not cleared for entry by the immigration authorities.
Testing and quarantine protocols of minors shall follow those of the parent or guardian traveling with them regardless of the minor’s vaccination status and country of origin.
Meanwhile, for those who are fully vaccinated but failed to comply with the test-before-travel requirements will be governed by the protocols for unvaccinated individuals coming from countries, territories or jurisdictions.
This means, they will be required to undergo facility-based quarantine until the release of a negative RT-PCR test taken on the fifth day and self monitor until the 14th day of arrival with the date of arrival being the first day.
The Palace’s announcement came after the IATF approved in principle the entry of fully vaccinated tourists against COVID-19 who are from countries under the Philippines’ “Green List” or those that are classified by the Department of Health as low risk based on COVID-19 incidence rate and case count.
Which countries are in the Philippines’ “green list”?
According to the IATF Resolution No. 148-A, the following 44 countries, territories and jurisdictions are classified “Green” from Nov. 16 to 30:
- American Samoa
- Bhutan
- Chad
- China (Mainland)
- Comoros
- Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
- Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of China)
- India
- Indonesia
- Japan
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Malawi
- Mali
- Marshall Islands
- Montserrat
- Morocco
- Namibia
- Niger
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palau
- Paraguay
- Rwanda
- Saint Barthelemy
- Saint Pierre and Miquelon
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Sint Eustatius
- South Africa
- Sudan
- Taiwan
- Togo
- Uganda
- United Arab Emirates
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe