BI eases visa rules for Sino tourists
Written by Administrator Monday, 03 August 2009 03 August 2009
The country’s efforts to develop its tourism industry got a big boost as the Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced it will now allow Chinese nationals who are frequent travelers to developed countries to enter and stay in the country for seven days without a visa.
BI Commissioner Nonoy Libanan issued the other day a memorandum circular granting visa free entry privileges to Chinese nationals with valid visas issued by the United States, Japan, Australia, Canada, and the European Union (Schengen).
Libanan said the new policy was ordered by no less than President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself before she left for a working visit to the US and is in accordance with the government’s program to promote and encourage tourism development in the country.
“With this new policy, we expect more Chinese businessmen and tourists to visit the Philippines and explore investment opportunities, thus opening more job opportunities to our countrymen,” Libanan said.Atty. Floro Balato Jr., BI spokesman, said most Chinese nationals who travel to the US, Japan and other developed countries are businessmen and entrepreneurs who can invest and contribute to the development of the Philippines.