Halloween tourism peak is approaching, the Philippine Immigration Bureau to remind foreign tourists to pay attention to matters

Considering that there will be a large number of tourists entering and leaving the country during Halloween, the Immigration Bureau (BI) reminded foreigners leaving the country on October 25 to handle various procedures and fees in advance.

In a statement, Immigration Director Norman Chenxingo said: "We expect a significant increase in the number of passengers at the airport during the upcoming Halloween season. And this time, with the full lifting of all travel restrictions related to the New Crown epidemic, the number of passengers will increase significantly during New Year's Day."

Chen recommends that departing foreigners obtain the required permits, such as re-entry permits or special return certificates, at the immigration or satellite offices before departure.

He also revealed: "Getting the required permits early will cut the queue time by half as they will no longer have to queue up to pay at the Immigration Department's airport checkout."

The measure applies to registered aliens who are considered permanent residents, labourers or students of the Philippines.

For international visitors who have lived in the Philippines for at least six months, an exit permit can also be obtained prior to departure.

Online processing

In addition to the branch offices of the Immigration Bureau, departing foreigners can also apply for other immigration services online through the e-services.immigration.gov.ph website.

Earlier, the Immigration Department pledged to deploy reinforcements at all airports to address the surge in passenger numbers between Halloween and Christmas and New Year.

The department also decided to implement a no-leave policy for all immigration staff.

The Immigration Bureau expects about 4 million visitors to enter the Philippines in the last quarter of 2023.