The Philippines has extended the stay of foreigners with expired visas until April 1.

The Philippine authorities have extended the legal stay of foreign citizens with expired visas until April 1 due to the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East. This was announced by the Russian Embassy in the republic with reference to the decision of the Ministry of Justice of the Philippines.

"The Ministry of Justice of the Philippines has informed that due to the aggravation of the military and political situation in the Middle East, the authorities have decided on temporary measures to extend their stay in the Philippines for those foreigners who were unable to leave the country on time due to the closure of the airspace of countries located in the conflict zone," the diplomatic mission said in a statement. published in the Telegram channel.

It is noted that the relief applies to citizens whose visas expired on February 28, 2026.

"They will be allowed to stay in the Philippines until April 1, 2026 without penalties," the embassy said.

Massive flight cancellations in the Middle East and tourist assistance. The main thing

The decision of the Philippine authorities was a response to the massive delays and cancellations of flights caused by the closure of the airspace of the Middle East countries against the background of military escalation. Similar measures were previously taken by the authorities of the UAE and some other states in the region. The situation has affected thousands of tourists, including Russians, who cannot fly home.

On March 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a telephone conversation with the leader of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Muhammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan, thanked him for the help and support of the Russians in the country. He also noted that it is necessary to stop the further escalation of hostilities and move towards a peaceful settlement through negotiations.

On March 4, Putin announced that he had ordered the export of Russian tourists from the Middle East due to the worsening situation in the region.

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