Chinese nationals told to settle re-entry fee at BI offices

MANILA, Philippines  – The Bureau of Immigration (BI) advised Chinese nationals in the Philippines who will spend Chinese New Year overseas to pay their reentry fees at BI field and satellite offices and avoid congestion at airports.

The statement was issued due to the anticipation of influx of passengers lining up to pay their re-entry fees in BI cashiers at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

“Many of them are Chinese residents in the Philippines who wish to spend the Chinese New Year in their homeland,” BI Ports Operations Division Chief Grifton Medina said.

“It usually results to heavy congestion of passengers at the airport which may be avoided if they pre-paid their fees before going to the airport,” he added.

Under BI’s policy, foreign nationals who are holders of valid immigrant and non-immigrant visas are required to pay exit and re-entry permits when they leave the Philippines.

With this, Immigration officers in the ports of exit require foreign nationals to present receipts of their re-entry permit fees before they are cleared for departure.

Medina then said presenting receipts of re-entry permit fees will help minimize long lines at the BI counters in airports.

“Coming to the airport with the re-entry receipt at hand makes processing much faster, giving passengers more time to relax before their flight,” Medina said.

BI records showed that a total of 1,309,289 Chinese citizens departed the Philippines in 2018. /gsg