Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Fredderick Vida permitted a temporary visa relief for foreigners affected by flight cancellations bound overseas due to the crisis in the Middle East.

In a Friday report by RH 29 Boy Gonzales, Vida tasked the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to extend the stay of foreign nationals whose visas expired on February 28.

Under the Department Order No. 159 series of 2026 issued on March 9, all affected foreign nationals were allowed to remain in the country until April 1, 2026, without additional fees, fines, or penalties.

The move aims to provide immediate aid to foreigners who cannot travel due to the heightened hostilities in the Middle East, Vida said, adding that it is the Filipinos’ way of showing empathy and solidarity with people experiencing crises in different parts of the world.

The US-Israel war on Iran is nearing its two-week mark, according to Reuters. US President Donald Trump called Iranian leaders “deranged scumbags,” saying it was his great honor to kill them.