Medical Certificate Requirement May Delay Work Permit Filings

Effective immediately, visa and work permit applicants from Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Nigeria and Vietnam, among other countries, must now obtain a medical certificate from the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) before their applications can be submitted to the Bureau of Immigration (BI), according to a rule issued by the BI. Those with pending visa and work permit applications will have 30 days from the date they receive notice to submit their medical certificate to the BI. Any delay in completing this medical certificate requirement may result in filing delays.

The medical exam can be conducted at one of many hospitals or clinics in the Philippines, and the examining doctor in the BOQ may conduct an additional exam. Following the exam, the foreign national must submit the results, along with passport, passport photos, a fee of PHP1000 and other documents at the BOQ's discretion to the BOQ in person. A medical clearance certificate can be obtained on the same day unless the applicant requires further checks. The full list of affected nationals is available as Annex A here. Affected foreign nationals should contact their immigration professional to discuss the application process.