HK Cancels Visa-Free Travel for Filipino Diplomatic, Official Passport Holders

Hong Kong will suspend visa-free travel for Filipinos holding diplomatic and official passports starting February 5, amid political tensions over the Manila bus hostage crisis. Regular passport holders are not affected for now. An official passport is issued to government officials and those who hold diplomatic posts abroad while a diplomatic passport is issued to Philippine diplomatic service members, Cabinet officials, service attachés and Filipino delegates to international institutions. “To visit Hong Kong, holders of these passport will have to apply for a visa beforehand in accordance with normal procedures in the immigration department of Hong Kong or Chinese and consular missions overseas,” Hong Kong leader Leung Chun-ying said...

Read more »

Posted in: hongkong immigration , Immigration News , travel news

DFA Raises Alert Level for Bangkok

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) raised yesterday the alert level for Bangkok and neighboring provinces placed under a 60-day state of emergency amid the political unrest there. From alert level 1 or precautionary phase, the DFA raised it to 2 or restriction phase. This means Filipinos in Thailand should restrict non-essential movement, avoid public places and prepare for evacuation. Alert level 2 is issued when there are real threats to the life, security and property of Filipinos arising from internal disturbance or external threat. The DFA said the situation remains fluid and volatile in Bangkok, particularly in anti-government protest areas, in spite of efforts to maintain a state of normalcy. The Philippine embassy...

Read more »

Posted in: Department of Foreign Affairs , Immigration News , philippine immigration , tips , travel news

Philippine Airline (PAL) to Add Flights to Japan

Philippine Airlines (PAL) will be offering more flights to Japan as it launches its Haneda-Manila route on March 30, 2014. PAL said the flights will be offered twice a day, complementing its thrice a day service to Narita. Haneda will be PAL’s fifth gateway to Japan, following Narita, Fukuoka, Osaka and Nagoya. PAL, the biggest Philippine operator to and from Japan, currently operates 21 weekly flights to Narita, 5 times a week to Fukuoka, 7 to Nagoya and 7 to Osaka. "The new service makes PAL the exclusive operator on the Haneda-Manila route. This route forms part of PAL's network expansion aimed at providing our passengers more and better choices,” said PAL president Ramon Ang. Haneda airport is located around 30 minutes...

Read more »

Posted in: immigration and travel , PAL , Philippine Airlines , travel news , Travel Tips