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DFA says it has mandate to issue PH visas to foreigners


The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Thursday that it is mandated to issue Philippine visas to foreign nationals.

It cited international and domestic measures such as the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, the 1987 Administrative Code, and the Codified Visa Rules and Regulations of the Philippines of 2002. 

“This function authorizes the DFA to conduct vetting procedures to ascertain the status of visa applicants as legitimate visitors and their travel purpose to the Philippines,” it said in a statement.

According to the DFA, this mandate is integral to the current national gatekeeping mechanism for admitting foreign nationals into the country.

Through the Foreign Service Posts, the DFA said it conducts a thorough assessment of documentary requirements and personal interviews of foreign nationals and obtains the mandatory security clearance or derogatory records check from the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency and the Bureau of Immigration, as well as the necessary authorization from the DFA-Office of Consular Affairs in the case of restricted or visa-required nationals.

“The DFA provides the first tier of defense gatekeeping while abroad with the development of stringent admissions criteria for foreign nationals. This system ensures that only legitimate tourists, travelers, and investors will be allowed inside the country,” it said.

The DFA’s statement was issued days after Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said he would recommend to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that a third party handle the issuance of visas to Chinese nationals.

This came amid the alleged issuance of authentic birth certificates to foreign nationals, which enabled them to secure Philippine passports. —VBL, GMA Integrated News

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