Travel exemption no longer needed for 9a visa holders

[top_secret 2,347]

It seems official.  No travel exemption needed for entry by 9a visa holders starting Aug 1.  That is kind of big news.

 

The requirement for the notation on the 9a visa would seem to invalidate existing 9a visas though.

 

https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/2021/07jul/20210722-RESO-IATF-128-RRD.pdf

 

Page 6, Section C

 

Quote

C. Upon the recommendation of the IATF Technical Working Group, foreign spouses, parent/s, and/or children of Filipino citizens with valid 9(a) visas may be allowed entry to the Philippines without the need of an entry exemption document beginning 01 August 2021. For this purpose, the visas of the foregoing shall contain the following notation: "EED not required per IATF Resolution No. 128 (s.2021)"

 

Edited July 23, 2021 by top_secret

[Murph4865 597]

6 minutes ago, top_secret said:

It seems official.  No travel exemption needed for entry by 9a visa holders starting Aug 1.  That is kind of big news.

 

The requirement for the notation on the 9a visa would seem to invalidate existing 9a visas though.

 

https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/2021/07jul/20210722-RESO-IATF-128-RRD.pdf

 

Page 6, Section C

 

 

Here ya go @RO_AH  some possibly good news for you and anyone else going through to get exemptions 

[Adventine 3,189]

I believe this is also important news for @Kby175 in case he hasn't seen it yet.

[RO_AH 1,656]

1 hour ago, Murph4865 said:

Here ya go @RO_AH  some possibly good news for you and anyone else going through to get exemptions 

Yes, I saw the notice this morning when I woke up. It makes little difference in mine and most cases unless you already have a 9a visa which most do not because we never needed a visa in the first place. So when you apply for the exemption you are applying for the visa at the same time. So I am still in the same boat.

[Murph4865 597]

3 minutes ago, RO_AH said:

Yes, I saw the notice this morning when I woke up. It makes little difference in mine and most cases unless you already have a 9a visa which most do not because we never needed a visa in the first place. So when you apply for the exemption you are applying for the visa at the same time. So I am still in the same boat.

Ok, did not know just thought i would tag ya

[top_secret 2,347]

1 hour ago, RO_AH said:

It makes little difference in mine and most cases unless you already have a 9a visa which most do not because we never needed a visa in the first place. So when you apply for the exemption you are applying for the visa at the same time.

The huge difference 'should' be that a 9a visa has a fairly straightforward list of requirements that is somewhat onerous, but achievable.   In theory anyhow, someone with a Filipino spouse or child submits complete requirements to a consulate or embassy, and the 9a visa should be issued.   Previously, it was like a 2-week application process that somewhat reliably yielded a visa.   The travel exemption requirement seemed like a far less certain animal.  I know some people got them, but certainly not most people who applied for one and of the ones I know being granted, it took months.  The requirement for essential travel seemed murky and highly discretionary for DFA. Who knows what exactly it takes to qualify for the travel exemption?

 

But it remains to be seen how it is implemented.  If just getting a 9a visa alone is similar in difficulty to what it previously was, then it is a big deal.

[RO_AH 1,656]

2 hours ago, top_secret said:

The huge difference 'should' be that a 9a visa has a fairly straightforward list of requirements that is somewhat onerous, but achievable.   In theory anyhow, someone with a Filipino spouse or child submits complete requirements to a consulate or embassy, and the 9a visa should be issued.   Previously, it was like a 2-week application process that somewhat reliably yielded a visa.   The travel exemption requirement seemed like a far less certain animal.  I know some people got them, but certainly not most people who applied for one and of the ones I know being granted, it took months.  The requirement for essential travel seemed murky and highly discretionary for DFA. Who knows what exactly it takes to qualify for the travel exemption?

 

But it remains to be seen how it is implemented.  If just getting a 9a visa alone is similar in difficulty to what it previously was, then it is a big deal.

But the last they told me is they are not issuing visa's currently, only if you get an exemption so you would need to have an existing 9a visa. But they did not say with this order that they are now issuing 9a visa's. As usual, rules change weekly without any regard to rules in place or how to implement it.

[top_secret 2,347]

Just now, RO_AH said:

But the last they told me is they are not issuing visa's currently, only if you get an exemption so you would need to have an existing 9a visa. But they did not say with this order that they are now issuing 9a visa's. As usual, rules change weekly without any regard to rules in place or how to implement it.

 

Presumably they will resume issuing standalone 9a visas.  It is not part of the order but it is implied.  The line "For this purpose, the visas of the foregoing shall contain the following notation: "EED not required per IATF Resolution No. 128 (s.2021)""  would seem to imply that existing 9a visas wouldn't fall under the new order since any existing 9a visas would not have that notation.   Of course we will have to wait and see how it plays out but my personal outlook is that I probably can get a 9a visa quite easily unless they radically rewrite the rules.  I may try in a week or two just to test the water. I probably could not qualify for a travel exemption at this time and it would take me 3 months to find out.  So until proven otherwise it is a huge change from my perspective.  (And if proven otherwise well, I wouldn't be shocked either)  

[RO_AH 1,656]

3 minutes ago, top_secret said:

 

Presumably they will resume issuing standalone 9a visas.  It is not part of the order but it is implied.  The line "For this purpose, the visas of the foregoing shall contain the following notation: "EED not required per IATF Resolution No. 128 (s.2021)""  would seem to imply that existing 9a visas wouldn't fall under the new order since any existing 9a visas would not have that notation.   Of course we will have to wait and see how it plays out but my personal outlook is that I probably can get a 9a visa quite easily unless they radically rewrite the rules.  I may try in a week or two just to test the water. I probably could not qualify for a travel exemption at this time and it would take me 3 months to find out.  So until proven otherwise it is a huge change from my perspective.  (And if proven otherwise well, I wouldn't be shocked either)  

Yes that does seem to indicate they will issue. I will reach out to my contact at the Consulate now and see if I can get that rolling.

[top_secret 2,347]

4 minutes ago, RO_AH said:

Yes that does seem to indicate they will issue. I will reach out to my contact at the Consulate now and see if I can get that rolling.

 

That's what I was thinking in your case.  Make sure your application doesn't get lost in some 3 month obsolete exemption queue while new 9a applications start getting kicked out in a week or two.  Stranger things have been known to happen.

[Kby175 115]

8 hours ago, Adventine said:

I believe this is also important news for @Kby175 in case he hasn't seen it yet.

Thank you! I just got online and saw this post!  This saves so much time!  The person I talked to at the embassy here in Houston said that part was taking 2 to 3 months in some cases.  I will just wait until August to apply.  

 

They saved that little tidbit until the end of that resolution.