Philippines Visa Policy

Visa policy for Philippines

The Philippines visa policy is controlled by the commonwealth act, which is the Philippines Immigration Act. The Department of Foreign Affairs and the Bureau of Immigration is responsible for handling the immigration policy for all those who are visiting the Philippines.

The Philippines visa policy is exceptionally lenient and allows many foreign nationals to visit the country without a visa. As per the current rules, more than 160 nations can visit the Philippines without a visa. The rules are varying for individuals across the world.

Those who are visiting the Philippines without a visa can stay in the country for a period of 14 to 59 days, as per the Philippines visa policy. They will need to attach supporting travel documents to be allowed into the country. All visitors will need to have a valid passport that will not expire for at least six months post their entry into the country.

A few foreign nationals can also avail themselves of the Philippines visa upon their arrival in the country. This extraordinary visa can grant your stay in the country for a period of 59 days, maximum.

list of countries that can get the Philippines visa on arrival

Tourist Visa for the Philippines

If you are a foreign national that is wanting to visit the Philippines for a small vacation, you can avail the Philippines tourist visa. This option is very suitable for those visitors that cannot enter the country with just their passport-like other nationalities that are a part of the visa waiver can.

This Philippines tourist visa is provided by the Philippines Bureau of Immigration. This visa can also be obtained upon arrival in the Philippines. However, it is recommended for you to check if your nationality is eligible for such an extraordinary situation.

As of now, members of more than 160 nations in the world can visit the Philippines without a tourist visa. In addition, countries that are a member of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Nations) can also visit the Philippines without a tourist visa, as per the guidelines issued by the Philippines visa policy.

Chinese nationals that hold a visa issued by either Australia, Canada, Japan, United States, or any of the Schengen zone countries can enter the Philippines without a visa for a period of 7 days. In addition, Indian nationals that have a visa for Australia, Canada, Japan, Singapore, United Kingdom, United States, or any of the Schengen zone countries can also enter the Philippines without a visa for a period of 14 days.

Electronic Travel Authorization for the Philippines

Despite the many visa relaxations for aspiring visitors, there are some countries that are still unable to visit the Philippines easily. The Philippines visa policy has introduced its own Electronic Travel Authorization, known as the ETA to curb this problem. This has been successful in saving many visitors from unnecessary trips to the Philippines embassy in the country of their residence.

This Electronic Travel Authorization allows all visitors to enter the Philippines several times. The ETA allows them to stay in the country for a period of 30 days and is also valid for one month after an individual has received their approved travel authorization.

Currently, electronic travel authorization is allowed only for Taiwanese people, however, the government of the Philippines plans on extending it to several other nations. Even if you receive the travel authorization, you will be required to carry your valid passport. You must make sure that your passport has enough blank visa pages and will be valid for 6 months after you plan on entering the Philippines.

Most importantly, the electronic travel authorization does not exempt travelers from presenting their official supporting documents. These documents may include proof of your financial security (bank statements, letter of employment, or work permit) or proof of your accommodation (hotel reservation, invitation letter from the place of your residence). Regardless, you must make sure that all your documents match your travel itinerary and the dates mentioned on them.

Embassy Visa for Philippines

You must be wondering about your eligibility for the Philippines visa. The Philippines visa policy allows the possibility of visas on arrival for a select few nationalities. Members of these nationalities can stay in the Philippines for a period of 59 days with the help of a valid passport. With a small payment of the application fees, a valid passport, and these nationals can enter the Philippines without a hassle.

However, this might not be the case for all travelers that are visiting the Philippines. As per the current Philippines visa policy, members of several nationalities are exempted from the visa waiver or the electronic travel authorization and even the visa on arrival. These nationals will have to apply for a consular visa at the Philippines embassy near them in the country of their residence.

All visitors will have to fill the complete online application form for the visa and attach all the required supporting documents (which will include the information pages of your passport, travel documents, and other such travel documents). You will then have to book an appointment at the Philippines embassy near you.

The duration and purpose of your stay will decide what kind of visa you shall be granted as per the Philippines visa policy. The non-immigrant visa will allow you to visit the country for tourism, business, education, and transit purposes. Whereas the immigrant visa will allow you to become a permanent resident of the Philippines. You must check if you need the embassy visa via the visa eligibility tracker. You can know more about the Philippines visa on iVisa.com.

Start planning for your Philippines visa today