THE Bureau of Immigration yesterday said it barred 1,320 foreigners from entering the country in 2021, saying their presence was inimical to national interest.
BI port operations division chief Carlos Capulong said the number is lower compared to the over 3,000 foreigners denied entry to the country in 2020.
Capulong said the decline was expected considering the travel bans imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which in turn resulted in the lower number of arriving passengers.
Capulong said of the 1,320, 450 were Chinese, followed by 261 Vietnamese, 159 Americans, 33 Briton, and 24 Israelis.
Of those barred entry, 676 did not have the means to support their stay in the country and the purpose of their stay doubtful, while 501 were not properly documented.
The agency said 69 were barred for being the BI’s blacklist.
The BI earlier said 158 foreigners were arrested last year for violation of the country’s immigration laws — 86 Chinese, 37 Koreans, and 10 Nigerians.
A further 83 foreigners wanted in their respective countries were also apprehended last year by the BI’s fugitive search unit.
