Manila, Philippines – The Department of Justice (DOJ) is considering a significant shift in the process of visa issuance for Chinese nationals entering the Philippines following the discovery of irregularities in the current system. DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla disclosed on Monday plans to recommend to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. that visa processing be outsourced to VFS Global, a visa outsourcing and technology services specialist.
According to Philippines News Agency, which operates more than 3,000 application centers in 149 countries, has the capability to verify the authenticity of submitted data, a crucial factor given the recent issues with visa processing. Remulla explained that many anomalous visas are processed through travel agencies and companies and delivered without proper scrutiny. He mentioned that discussions with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) are underway to transition this function to VFS Global. Remulla highlighted the national security concerns related to the entry of foreigners into the Philippines and informed that he has ordered an investigation into alleged illegal issuance of visas, particularly to Chinese nationals.