The Philippine Embassy in Warsaw, Poland advises all visa applicants that in view of the 24 November 2015 deadline set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for the phasing-out of non-machine readable passports/travel documents, the Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI) shall no longer allow the entry of foreign nationals holding said types of travel documents in all Philippine international airports and seaports by the 1st quarter of 2017.

In view of this development, the Embassy’s Consular Section will cease acceptance of non-machine readable passports/travel documents from all visa applicants effective 01 October 2016.

The abovementioned directive applies to all types of passports, including ordinary, official, diplomatic, and/or service documents, except for temporary travel documents designed for emergency situations as per ICAO guidelines.

In cases when the Embassy needs to accept non-machine readable travel documents, advance notice will be communicated to the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila for approval and subsequent notice to the BI.

f Immigration (BI) shall no longer allow the entry of foreign nationals holding said types of travel documents in all Philippine international airports and seaports by the 1st quarter of 2017.

In view of this development, the Embassy’s Consular Section will cease acceptance of non-machine readable passports/travel documents from all visa applicants effective 01 October 2016.

The abovementioned directive applies to all types of passports, including ordinary, official, diplomatic, and/or service documents, except for temporary travel documents designed for emergency situations as per ICAO guidelines.

In cases when the Embassy needs to accept non-machine readable travel documents, advance notice will be communicated to the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila for approval and subsequent notice to the BI.