Philippines Mulls New Visa Rules for Americans

[Jollygoodfellow]

MANILA — The Philippines has banned two U.S. lawmakers from visiting and will introduce tighter entry restrictions for U.S. citizens should Washington enforce sanctions over the detention of a top government critic, the president's spokesman said on Friday.

President Rodrigo Duterte will impose a requirement on U.S. nationals to get visas should any Philippine officials involved in the incarceration of Senator Leila de Lima be denied entry to the United States, as sought by U.S. senators Richard Durbin and Patrick Leahy.

Duterte's move comes after the U.S. Congress approved a 2020 budget that contains a provision introduced by the senators against anyone involved in holding de Lima, who was charged with drug offences in early 2017 after she led an investigation into mass killings during Duterte's notorious anti-drugs crackdown.

"We will not sit idly if they continue to interfere with our processes as a sovereign state," Philippine presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo told a regular news conference.

The Philippines grants visa-free entry for up to 30 days to Americans, 792,000 of whom visited in the first nine months of 2019, nearly 13% of foreign arrivals, government data showed.

The U.S. embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Panelo said travel restrictions over de Lima's detention were nonsense because she was not wrongfully imprisoned but detained pending trial for crimes.

https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2019/12/27/world/asia/27reuters-philippines-usa-duterte.html

[graham59]

These people need to get out of the damned school yard. 

[fillipino_wannabe]

Doubt it will happen to be fair, Duterte starts going on a rant about something nearly every week that never ends up happening. He said he was banning vaping & banning rice imports last month, didn't happen.

Edited December 27, 2019 by fillipino_wannabe

[Jack Peterson]

 Yes BUT and there is always a BUt, What if? 

[Guy F.]

US citizens already get visas automatically upon entry to the Philippines, proving either that the article was written in ignorance or Duterte is ignorant. Imposing new requirements to get visas might be a problem for visitors.

[Tukaram (Tim)]

It might take some work to change the visa requirements... but I could see him try.  We need to quit sticking our nose into other people's business.  It was  a rather stupid thing to include in a budget bill.

[scott h]

I guess Pres D's father never told him what my Dad told me....

DON'T POKE THE BEAR!! 

[Mike J]

9 hours ago, Guy F. said:

US citizens already get visas automatically upon entry to the Philippines, proving either that the article was written in ignorance or Duterte is ignorant. Imposing new requirements to get visas might be a problem for visitors.

USA citizens are allowed a 30 day stay without a visa, just the stamp in your  passport.  I did not include the actual list of countries to shorten this post.  

https://www.dfa.gov.ph/list-of-countries-for-21-day-visa

Nationals from countries listed below who are traveling to the Philippines for business and tourism purposes are allowed to enter the Philippines without visas for a stay not exceeding thirty (30) days, provided they hold valid tickets for their return journey to port of origin or next port of destination and their passports valid for a period of at least six (6) months beyond the contemplated period of stay.

Nationals from the following countries are allowed to enter the Philippines without a visa for a period of stay of thirty (30) days or less:

[Gary D]

Spoiler

 

 

41 minutes ago, Mike J said:

USA citizens are allowed a 30 day stay without a visa, just the stamp in your  passport.  I did not include the actual list of countries to shorten this post.  

https://www.dfa.gov.ph/list-of-countries-for-21-day-visa

Nationals from countries listed below who are traveling to the Philippines for business and tourism purposes are allowed to enter the Philippines without visas for a stay not exceeding thirty (30) days, provided they hold valid tickets for their return journey to port of origin or next port of destination and their passports valid for a period of at least six (6) months beyond the contemplated period of stay.

Nationals from the following countries are allowed to enter the Philippines without a visa for a period of stay of thirty (30) days or less:

This is all set up by international treaty and all signers should reciprocate. Since when have the US and others allowed filipinos 30 days free entry. So who's already in the wrong.

[scott h]

16 minutes ago, Gary D said:

Since when have the US and others allowed filipinos 30 days free entry

Heh heh. since it has been proven that most wont leave after 30 days