EIGHT Chinese who overstayed after they were allowed to come into the country under the government’s visa upon arrival (VUA) policy for Chinese tourists have been blacklisted by the Bureau of Immigration.
Last month, 21 Chinese were also blacklisted for the same offense.
Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said the latest batch of Chinese offenders were meted fines for overstaying and then ordered to leave.
“They did not leave before the lapse of their authorized stay without any valid reason or justification. And it took them several months after they arrived before they manifested their intent to depart and return to their country,” Morente said.
He said records showed the eight arrived in the country from November 2019 to January 2020 and were admitted for a non-extendable period of 30 days under the VUA policy.
The VUA scheme, which was started in 2017, was meant to entice more Chinese tourists to visit the country and boost the tourism industry. The scheme allows a VUA grantee the privilege to stay in the country for up to three months without the need to get a visa from the Philippine Embassy or consulates in China.
Instead, they file their applications with the BI through tour operators accredited by the Department of Tourism.
But due to abuses and complaints against overstaying Chinese, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra early this year tightened the policy and limited their stay to a non-extendable period of 30 days.
Morente said the BI suspended the processing of VUA applications since late January due to the COVID-19 outbreak in China.
