US DOS: Do not travel to the Philippines due to COVID-19

[angeljolie 188]

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/philippines-travel-advisory.html

 

I wonder how (or if) this impacts the already frustrating immigration process.

[Joe Kano 327]

5 hours ago, angeljolie said:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/philippines-travel-advisory.html

 

I wonder how (or if) this impacts the already frustrating immigration process.

Probably not for the average US Citizens.

 

Just a few years ago they had travel warning for the whole Mindanao Region, I saw a group of American girls up in Manila in a Mall, I was curious why they were there and they said they were part of Peace Corp.  

 

I asked if they had been to Davao City, and said since it was on the US Travel Warning, US Government personal were not allowed to travel there.

 

Since then DOS has lifted the entire Mindanao region and I think now only a few selected Muslims based area are off limits like Jolo Sulu and maybe Marawi. 

[flicks1998 1,044]

9 hours ago, angeljolie said:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/philippines-travel-advisory.html

 

I wonder how (or if) this impacts the already frustrating immigration process.

This wasnt just the Philippines that was added, but around 70 or 80 additional countries.  I dont think it will impact the process too much as its already limited as is.  The irony of all of it is that its a government who never really had any control over the pandemic, telling travelers not to go to countries where there is less of a risk then in the US.  Some countries, such as the Philippines, dont really have a clue whats going on, but quite a few others added to the list do have some type of control. 

[NoMansLand2020 298]

5 hours ago, Joe Kano said:

Probably not for the average US Citizens.

 

Just a few years ago they had travel warning for the whole Mindanao Region, I saw a group of American girls up in Manila in a Mall, I was curious why they were there and they said they were part of Peace Corp.  

 

I asked if they had been to Davao City, and said since it was on the US Travel Warning, US Government personal were not allowed to travel there.

 

Since then DOS has lifted the entire Mindanao region and I think now only a few selected Muslims based area are off limits like Jolo Sulu and maybe Marawi. 

For as long as I can remember, it has given a "Reconsider" travel warning to all areas of Mindanao. And it appears to still be that way. I work for the DoD and it's not that you are banned from going, only that you need special permissions and briefings and debriefings prior to and after returning. 

[flicks1998 1,044]

1 hour ago, NoMansLand2020 said:

For as long as I can remember, it has given a "Reconsider" travel warning to all areas of Mindanao. And it appears to still be that way. I work for the DoD and it's not that you are banned from going, only that you need special permissions and briefings and debriefings prior to and after returning. 

There are very few countries that are actually banned.  Also the special permissions and briefings/debriefings are specific to US government employees only.  Normal US citizens can travel unabated.  Before the pandemic, I traveled as a tourist in many Level 4 countries (North Korea before the ban, Syria, Iran, Iraq, S Sudan, etc) without issues.  In fact, I never used to check that State Dept website.  I would just follow local immigration and entry rules.  Some places, such as Syria, I would get approval to travel into the country and then my visa/entry authorization would get cancelled a week or less in advance.  As long as you follow all of the rules there is very little risk.  The ones you read about in the news, typically did not follow the rules.  Sam Goodwin, for example, was a travel friend acquaintance, however when he was kidnapped entering Syria, it was his own fault.  He enter illegally through the Kurdish part of Syria without a valid visa.  None of this was ever reported accurately in the media and made some of these Level 4 countries seem more dangerous than they really are. 

 

If you are a current or past US government employee, you wouldnt qualify for an Iranian visa for tourism purposes.  

 

 

[Ontarkie 14,226]

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[Joe Kano 327]

19 hours ago, NoMansLand2020 said:

For as long as I can remember, it has given a "Reconsider" travel warning to all areas of Mindanao. And it appears to still be that way. I work for the DoD and it's not that you are banned from going, only that you need special permissions and briefings and debriefings prior to and after returning. 

I am almost positive Mindanao region was on a do not travel for US government personal, this time frame was 2007 to 2009ish time frame.  Because I was going there back then, I kept having friends tell me it was dangerous.  But as I said that was years ago, and I have slept since then, so I could be wrong.

[Joe Kano 327]

20 hours ago, flicks1998 said:

 Before the pandemic, I traveled as a tourist in many Level 4 countries (North Korea before the ban, Syria, Iran, Iraq, S Sudan, etc) without issues.  In fact, I never used to check that State Dept website.  I would just follow local immigration and entry rules. 

 

 

I thought I was a world traveler, you sound like you got me beat and for sure you been to some places I have never considered.  I have never had a desire to see anywhere in the Middle East.

 

You should do a travel vlog on Youtube